Advanced Narrative Nonfiction

Good narrative nonfiction writing is immersive and incisive. Whether it takes the form of a biography, a journalistic essay, or other work, this genre combines the rigor of reporting with the art of literary storytelling. It affords writers the creative freedom to grapple with nuance, context, and human complexity while grounding them in an obligation to truth and accuracy. In this course we read and dissect a range of exemplary pieces by such writers as Eliza Griswold, Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, and David Foster Wallace. Students learn how to conceive and structure long-form narratives; conduct in-depth interviews and gather information required for detailed storytelling; weave in research, data, and dialogue; and recognize when to show and when to tell. In addition to completing a variety of short- to medium-length writing assignments, students spend the course drafting and revising one major work.