Narrative News

Going public with the private pain of suicide

Going public with the private pain of suicide

Modern society works hard to find ways to talk about subjects that have long been taboo, and that left sufferers isolated and shrouded in shame. Things like mental illness, abortion,…
April 24, 2019
Jacqui Banaszynski
Two sentences from books honored by 2019 Pulitzer Prizes and the lessons in journalism they inspired

Two sentences from books honored by 2019 Pulitzer Prizes and the lessons in journalism they inspired

Awards from elite, independent institutions always offer a reminder of the powerful work being done by storytellers of all stripes. None moreso in journalism than the Pulitzer Prizes.This year’s Pulitzer…
April 18, 2019
Jacqui Banaszynski
Insight from the other side of the notebook

Insight from the other side of the notebook

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Mass shootings have become a tragic American story. School shootings are an especially searing chapter in that narrative. This week marks the 20th anniversary of Columbine, a high…
April 16, 2019
Matt Tullis
"Losing Earth:" Nathaniel Rich's epic on the failure to confront climate change

“Losing Earth:” Nathaniel Rich’s epic on the failure to confront climate change

Today marks the release of “Losing Earth: A Recent History,” Nathaniel Rich. The narrative tracks the story of a handful of scientists and politicians from 1979 to 1989 as they…
April 9, 2019
Jacqui Banaszynski
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…
March 29, 2019
Caren Chesler
The Power of Storytelling: Daring to bear witness to society's villains

The Power of Storytelling: Daring to bear witness to society’s villains

How do you tell the story of an extremist without allowing your own judgment to cloud your reporting? How do you interview people who are racist or violent, white supremacists…
November 2, 2018
Cătălina Albeanu
The Power (and challenge) of Storytelling: "Seeing more of the truth"

The Power (and challenge) of Storytelling: “Seeing more of the truth”

 Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of Polish journalist and media entrepreneur Zuzanna Ziomecka’s keynote at the 8th edition of The Power of Storytelling conference, held last month in Bucharest,…
November 2, 2018
Zuzanna Ziomecka
Narrative in a weekend conference, and the thank-you note that followed

Narrative in a weekend conference, and the thank-you note that followed

Power of Storytelling 2018, Bucharest, RomaniaBelow is a post offered on Facebook earlier this month as a thank you to speakers and attendees at the 8th Edition of the Power…
October 31, 2018
Cristian Lupșa
Legendary writer John McPhee to a student: "I don't create the writer. At all."

Legendary writer John McPhee to a student: “I don’t create the writer. At all.”

John McPheeJohn McPhee, a master of nonfiction storytelling, became a teacher by accident. In 1974, when he was a fast-rising star at The New Yorker, his alma mater, Princeton University,…
October 2, 2018
Jeffrey R. Young
Welcome to pizza, potluck and a story potlatch

Welcome to pizza, potluck and a story potlatch

I’m writing this from a mash-up of a magazine newsroom in Bucharest. The walls are smelly and stained from a recent flood in the apartment above. Desks are cluttered with…
June 1, 2018
Jacqui Banaszynski