When Truth Meets Craft: Practicing the Art of Literary Journalism
For a while, journalism has been trending away from "just the facts" to a more overtly crafted form. Literary journalism both reflects an awareness of the impossibility of objectivity and acknowledges the power of story to enliven data. When does the reporter's experience illuminate our reading of nonfiction, and when does it detract? Conversely, how does a writer infuse a personal narrative with relevant facts, signaling to the reader the contextual dance between the two? In this course students will learn and practice essential elements of powerful first-person journalism. Readings to inform discussions on craft, voice, bias and method include Ted Conover's, "The First Person in Journalism Must be Earned," as well as essays by Sy Montgomery, Drew Lanham, Kathryn Schulz, and David Foster Wallace.

Helen Whybrow has a master's in journalism from Harvard and studied literature at Amherst College. As an editor for W.W. Norton, Milkweed and Orion Magazine she has helped dozens of nonfiction writers hone their craft over the past./