Nonfiction

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

NAME               Telling True Stories: Creative Nonfiction

FACULTY: WENDY CALL

COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this two-month course, we will delve into the basic elements of literary journalism and creative nonfiction, in the tradition of Eduardo Galeano, Gabriel García Márquez, Elena Poniatowska, and Gay Talese. The curriculum is based on the anthology Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers’ Guide from the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University (Plume/Penguin, 2007), co-edited by the instructor. Each one of the six written lectures focuses on one key element of creative nonfiction.
 
HOW IT WORKS
Six times during the class session, the instructor will send the participants a written lecture, with related exercises and readings. There will be six “lecture packets” in all, addressing these subjects:
  1. The history and importance of literary journalism, and how to find good topics for your essays and articles
  2.  Key techniques for research and reporting 
  3.  How to develop compelling characters in your writing
  4. Narrative structure and story arc
  5. The importance of dialogue and action
  6. Self-editing techniques to improve your prose
 
OBJECTIVES
  • Introduce participants to all the elements of a great nonfiction story
  • Each participant will complete the research, reporting, writing, and editing of a 3,000 word (ten-page) essay or article.
 
METHODOLOGY




  • One written lecture sent by the instructor (via email) every two weeks (6 in all)
  • Approximately 30 pages of assigned reading with each lecture.
  • An exercise in research, reporting, and/or writing every two weeks (6 in all)



  • Comments by the instructor on both a draft and a final version of an essay or article (up to 10 pages / 3,000 words)
  • Brief consultations with the instructor via email
 
PROGRAM
For Spanish speakers with an interest in the fusion of journalism / researched nonfiction with creative nonfiction writing
 
REQUIREMENTS
Approximately five hours of work each week – a combination of researching, reporting, writing and reading
 
TEXTS
Brief essays (translated into Spanish) from Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers’ Guide,an anthology co-edited by Wendy Call and Mark Kramer.



Essays and journalism by Eduardo Galeano, Gabriel García Márquez, Susan Orlean, Elena Poniatowska, Gay Talese, Daniel Ulanovksy, and others.