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Building blocks: Scene, detail, character

From the Storyboard archives: tips on three of the fundamentals of narrative, from a trio of accomplished writers and editors. Click through to their full essays, and in the meantime…

"Why’s this so good?" No. 60: Jeanne Marie Laskas and the empire of ice

For the past few years, GQ correspondent Jeanne Marie Laskas has explored the myriad behind-the-scenes lives that help make our first-world reality what it is today. To borrow a couple…
Viewfinder: We need to talk

Viewfinder: We need to talk

Let’s talk about why we’re not talking, shall we?I’ve noticed a recent video journalism trend against treating the audience to a bit of narration. Yes, I said narration: the stuff…
"What's on your syllabus?" Narrative professors on what stories and books they assign

“What’s on your syllabus?” Narrative professors on what stories and books they assign

Every narrative journalist can point to a story or a book, or two, that changed their lives, and that made them want to tell true stories. What story does it for…

“Why’s this so good?” No. 59: Dan Barry and the Indiana crow patrol

Dan Barry peddles in the petits dramas and crossroads that ordinary people meet day to day. Some of his best "This Land" columns for the New York Times suggest items…
Writing 9/11: Erin Sullivan on survivors, intros, collaboration, inspiration and the importance of working with what you have

Writing 9/11: Erin Sullivan on survivors, intros, collaboration, inspiration and the importance of working with what you have

We chose Erin Sullivan’s story about a 9/11 survivor as our latest Notable Narrative for the usual reasons − interesting characters; strong, memorable writing − but also because it contained the watermark…

Notable narrative: Erin Sullivan and the 9/11 survivor

We thought about rounding up some of the week’s better 9/11 anniversary coverage (including that viral thing about rescue dogs, because a great protagonist doesn’t have to be human), but…

"Why’s this so good?" No. 58: Scott Anderson and the hunger warriors

A tattered, stapled-together copy of Scott Anderson’s “The Hunger Warriors” now qualifies as one of my oldest and most treasured possessions. I distinctly remember snipping it out of the New…
New Niemans and their stories: Meet the Class of 2013

New Niemans and their stories: Meet the Class of 2013

The first week of fall term ends today at Harvard, and the Nieman Foundation's newest class of fellows is settling in. The Nieman fellowship, which next year will celebrate its…

“Why’s this so good?” No. 57: Joan Didion on dreamers gone astray

In 1977, Joan Didion told The Paris Review that she always kept in mind one line of poetry, from T.S. Eliot’s “Four Quartets”: “at the still point of the turning world.” I don’t…