Search results for “so you want to write a book”

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Interview with Mary Gaitskill: lessons from "Lost Cat"

Interview with Mary Gaitskill: lessons from "Lost Cat"

Today we offer the second installment of a two-part look at narrative nonfiction from Granta’s summer issue. I spoke with author Mary Gaitskill about “Lost Cat,” her memoir on the…
October 6, 2009

First Person Singular: It's not just about you

Getting stuck next to a compulsive talker is one of the worst things that can happen at a dinner party or on a long bus ride. Even worse: the self-centered…
June 28, 2006

Jon Franklin interviewed by Ole Soennichsen

What is your advice on structuring a story while reporting? You report for structure the same way you report for anything else. When you’re reporting for dramatic narrative, you’re reporting…
November 18, 2004

A Writer’s Essay: Seeking the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

This essay is based on presentations given in advanced feature writing seminars the author taught at The Washington Post. On Thinking About Intimate Journalism It’s the kiss of death for anyone aspiring…
March 28, 1997
Sex and cats: The 2022 people's choice awards

Sex and cats: The 2022 people’s choice awards

Analytics measure more and more in our lives. I receive a report every week sending me stats that show how Storyboard posts performed on eight different measures. Eight.Everything seems to…
December 28, 2022
Bear essentials and beyond

Bear essentials and beyond

A few shares on bears and books, puppies and propaganda, football and failures of leadership
July 28, 2022
How 5 journalists structured their stories to hook readers

How 5 journalists structured their stories to hook readers

From the Nieman Storyboard archives: How writers craft their stories to build momentum and cohesion
June 4, 2026
Annotation: Rachel Aviv on reporting and writing her Pulitzer finalist story about a schizophrenia diagnosis

Annotation: Rachel Aviv on reporting and writing her Pulitzer finalist story about a schizophrenia diagnosis

The New Yorker staff writer talks about finding the right story structure and working with a family to access medical records and journals
May 28, 2026
Scenes from National Magazine Award winners

Scenes from National Magazine Award winners

Plus: More AI cautionary tales, how to create a book X-ray, and a Nieman Fellow's new book on writing
May 22, 2026
Finding the narrative in small-town libraries and bars: How Keith O’Brien told the origin story of Larry Bird

Finding the narrative in small-town libraries and bars: How Keith O’Brien told the origin story of Larry Bird

For his book “Heartland,” O’Brien visited the basketball legend’s hometown in French Lick, Indiana, to uncover a story never told
May 14, 2026