Story Craft

Lessons from a relentless "Reporter"

Lessons from a relentless “Reporter”

“Reporter” had to be the inevitable title for legendary investigative journalist Seymour M. Hersh’s 2018 autobiography. It’s perfect — a simple, proud word that encompasses craft, passion and conscience. In…
Roy Peter Clark on the search for the "embedded narrative"

Roy Peter Clark on the search for the “embedded narrative”

 Not long ago, I came out of a theater in Tampa, Florida, and heard someone calling my name. It was Adan Martinez, a young college student who had just performed…
Foreshadow forward; echo back. How writers harness the power of the callback

Foreshadow forward; echo back. How writers harness the power of the callback

The art of the callback in comedy, film, literature and journalism: When repetition isn't redundancy, but theme and structure
A young journalist is inspired by fickle spring weather (and an old newspaper story)

A young journalist is inspired by fickle spring weather (and an old newspaper story)

Walking onto campus one morning in early April, coffee in hand, I approached Indiana University’s iconic Sample Gates. It’s always a spirit-lifting sight, especially with the statue of Ernie Pyle on…
Learning from what seem the unkindest cuts

Learning from what seem the unkindest cuts

A science journalist comes to terms with what is lost — and not — when favorite passages are edited out of her long-form story
Hitting home runs with story pitches

Hitting home runs with story pitches

Pitching rises again and again as one of the main challenges facing writers who want to make the leap from idea to publication. Whether you’re a reporter hustling support for…
Probing dark corners and dark souls

Probing dark corners and dark souls

The risks and rewards of covering society's monsters: Insights from the 2019 Power of Narrative conference
Ripping up the narrative arc and fumbling your way to structure

Ripping up the narrative arc and fumbling your way to structure

 Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end. But in the telling, stories don’t necessarily conform to that neat order. For Dave Cullen, freelance journalist and bestselling author, there…
High notes from the keynotes

High notes from the keynotes

EDITOR’S NOTE: The 2o19 Power of Narrative conference at Boston University was a full immersion into the craft, challenges and characters of story work. We are scrambling to mine as…
Golden nuggets from the rich river of narrative nonfiction

Golden nuggets from the rich river of narrative nonfiction

EDITOR’S NOTE: The 2o19 Power of Narrative conference at Boston University was a full immersion into the craft, challenges and characters of story work. We are scrambling to mine as…