Notable Narratives

A doc film that gently unspools surprises

Filmmaker Eloisa Diez follows a trans man's journey to create a family of his own ~ and confronts her own storytelling stereotypes

By Line Vaaben • March 17, 2023

Alex Reyes de Anda with his partner, Fernanda, after giving birth to his daughter, Victoria

Read More

Story Craft

The making of a (born) journalist

Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame may have been hard-wired to be a reporter but he also worked hard at his craft

By Don Nelson • March 17, 2023

From the Editor

Writing without words

A watercolor workshop offers wisdom about the art and lifetime practice of storytelling in any form

By Jacqui Banaszynski • March 14, 2023

Featured Contributors

More contributors

Featured topics

Writing tips Freelancing The Pitch The Pivot Field Testing The Power of Narrative conference
Show section navigation Hide section navigation ⨂

Story Craft

The making of a (born) journalist

By Don Nelson
March 17, 2023

Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame may have been hard-wired to be a reporter but he also worked hard at his craft

Story Craft

How to free your writing with free writing

By Korrina Duffy
February 8, 2023

Timed free writing — no stopping, no correcting, no fretting — can leapfrog mental paralysis to a "shitty" but valuable first draft

Story Craft

A whimsical request inspired some essential writing tools

By Roy Peter Clark
February 7, 2023

Writing scholar and author Roy Peter Clark responded to a quirky (and somewhat brash) letter with a lifetime list of writing wisdom

Story Craft

A veteran newsman teaches writing through music

By Chuck Haga
February 2, 2023

Chuck Haga and his students exchange favorite music of their generations to explore metaphor and meaning that can make writing sparkle

Story Craft

Guidance on the lonely road of writing

By Betsy Mason, Chloe Page, Jennie Dusheck, Kat McGowan, Korrina Duffy and Starre Julia Vartan
January 17, 2023

A group of mid-career freelancers found inspiration, tools and fellow travelers in a weeklong nonfiction writing workshop

Story Craft

If journalism is part of the problem, can it be part of the solution?

By Lauren Kessler
January 6, 2023

It is not enough for stories to expose problems to societal problems; they should explore how people tackle those problems

Story Craft

Compression: It’s not just for socks

By Jacqui Banaszynski
December 22, 2022

An unauthorized Harry Potter play and beloved Disney Christmas movie shows the brilliance of selective backstory

Story Craft

Social-change journalism can make “good trouble”

By Paul A. Kramer
December 16, 2022

A Vanderbilt professor wraps up his case for seven reframes of problem-centered story work with a summary of risks and rewards

Story Craft

Making good journalistic trouble, Part VII: Seeing through other moral lenses

By Paul A. Kramer
December 15, 2022

Stories that challenge value judgments and assumptions can help readers reconsider those blamed for and stigmatized for social problems

Story Craft

Making good journalistic trouble, Part VI: Shared responsibility for social problems

By Paul A. Kramer
December 14, 2022

Stories can be framed and reported to show how everyday choices and actions can be connected to oppression and poverty

Story Craft

Making good journalistic trouble, Part V: Expanding perspective and empathy

By Paul A. Kramer
December 13, 2022

Stories that explore social issues through a solidarity frame can help readers relate to the people most affected

Story Craft

Making good journalistic trouble, Part IV: Tracing the cause and effect of social issues

By Paul A. Kramer
December 12, 2022

Stories reported through a "re-specification" frame point to the core origins and ultimate consequences of social problems

More stories