2008 Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism

Start: 2008-03-14 13:30
End: 2008-03-16 13:00
Timezone: Etc/GMT-5
From the Nieman site:

The 2008 Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism will continue to explore the dimensions of literary journalism:

• How to gather rich material through deep reporting.
• How to structure fluent accounts.
• How to flesh out stories with flesh-and-blood characters.

But, given the changes in the way that stories are being told online as well as in print, we will incorporate a new focus on multimedia storytelling, adding journalists from the creative edge of radio, documentary, and the Web to our renowned all-star cast of writers and editors.

The Nieman Narrative Conference is open to all writers wishing to sharpen their reporting skills, write with flair and learn from experts in the field, including award-winning journalists, authors, and broadcasters.
To explore the many ways in which journalists report stories today, we are adding new workshops on multimedia storytelling.

Keynote speakers include:

John Hockenberry: Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist and commentator known for his work on Dateline NBC and NPR’s "The Infinite Mind."

Dana Priest and Anne Hull: Washington Post investigative journalists who exposed the mistreatment of Iraq War veterans at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Sherry Turkle: Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT and a clinical psychologist who researches and writes on people’s relationship with technology.

Sam Pollard: Film director, producer and editor recognized for his work on Eyes on the Prize, and his collaboration with filmmaker Spike Lee on Mo’ Better Blues, Girl 6, Crooklyn, Clockers and When the Levees Broke.

Other presenters include returning favorites Roy Peter Clark and Adam Hochschild and new speakers Elizabeth Farnsworth, Mark Leibovich, Russell Contreras, and Peggy Orenstein. Details and Registration

Narrative Journalism

Generations ago, narrative journalism was the rule in reporting and not the exception. Stories (sometimes rather subjectively reported and quite long by today's standards) in magazines and newspapers led the reader through a gripping tale told entirely from the view and experiences of the author. However, times have definitely changed.

Today, narrative journalism is not commonly used by most mainstream media outlets. In fact, many journalists stick with very basic formulas or utilize the "inverted pyramid" style of reporting in an effort to keep their writing concise and easy to edit. Some may even be unfamiliar with the technique, having never learned it throughout their careers as "beat" reporters.

Yet there is still room for narrative journalism in today's global marketplace where the Internet is available 24-hours a day, and authors eager to test their competence using a new technique may truly enjoy writing a news report that reads much more like a story than a series of objectively written paragraphs.

A Little About Narrative Journalism
The narrative journalism style requires that the author put him - or herself into the article; thus, the piece may be written from a first-person perspective. However, it may also be told from a third-person viewpoint but with subjective nuances in the text.

Of course, it's tricky to write a true narrative if you're accustomed to sticking to "just the facts" and not adding any extraneous adjectives or adverbs to the mix, let alone personal opinions. You really have to let yourself "loose"; in fact, you may want to seek out some articles in the narrative journalism style to give you hints. (The New Yorker magazine is an excellent resource for narrative journalism examples.)

Some Narrative Journalism Concerns
One of the biggest worries editors and publishers have about narrative journalism is that because it's a blend of facts and feelings, problems can occur. Recently, many authors have been nabbed for stating mistruths in their pieces. Though some of the journalists accused of making up details were in fact guilty, others claimed to have simply misinterpreted situations. Because narrative journalism makes fact-checking challenging, it is still considered taboo in most news rooms.

Thus, if you're planning on trying out narrative journalism, talk to your editor first (if applicable.) Find out if he or she has any concerns regarding the technique, and try to hash out a plan so you'll both be comfortable with the outcome. That way, you won't be nailed when you turn in an assignment that isn't acceptable to your editor or his or her publication.

Gearing up to be a Narrative Journalist
Again, this art form hasn't been lost; it's simply been "on holiday" for a while. If you want to be one of the few journalists known for writing exceptional stories in a narrative journalism style, you'll need to practice.

A good way is to take an existing story from a newspaper and re-write it from a narrative viewpoint. At first, this exercise might feel awkward, especially if you're accustomed to working with "inverted pyramids". However, after some time, you'll begin to understand how to put together a narrative piece that is provocative and, above all else, truthful.

A second method of learning more about narrative journalism is to actively seek out stories written using the technique. Contrast them with other nonfiction articles you've read (or written).

Enjoy yourself as you learn this craft; after all, educating yourself in the various methods of writing will only make you a stronger, more well-rounded journalist.

Source: www.explorewriting.co.uk

Recognizing Narrative Journalism

Once upon a time...
there was a beautiful fusion of reporting and storytelling techniques...
"Journalism that doesn't assume the reader is a robot, that acknowledges the reader knows lots and snickers and gets wild."

~Mark Kramer, Nieman Program on Narrative Journalism

Whether it's called "narrative journalism," "new journalism," "literary journalism," or "journalistic narrative," the type of writing defined by these terms is a blend of reporting and storytelling.

Although this offshoot of traditional journalism does not employ the pure objectivity that is often associated with the profession, narrative journalism upholds integrity and professionalism, as its writers, astute to the human experience, paint pictures and emotions with words. The narrative journalist is necessarily wrapped up in social realism, and is, "in fact, a Romantic Reporter, who assumes that reality is to be found by focusing on internal, rather than external, human processes and movements; that feelings and emotions are more essential to understanding human life than ideas." (Connery 17).

Whether it's called "narrative journalism," "new journalism," "literary journalism," or "journalistic narrative," the type of writing defined by these terms is a blend of reporting and storytelling.

Although this offshoot of traditional journalism does not employ the pure objectivity that is often associated with the profession, narrative journalism upholds integrity and professionalism, as its writers, astute to the human experience, paint pictures and emotions with words. The narrative journalist is necessarily wrapped up in social realism, and is, "in fact, a Romantic Reporter, who assumes that reality is to be found by focusing on internal, rather than external, human processes and movements; that feelings and emotions are more essential to understanding human life than ideas." (Connery 17).

Narrative Journalism does away with the inverted pyramid model of traditional journalism, which arranges who, what, where, when, and why from the most important to the least important. Narrative Journalism breathes life into the five W's.




Tell Them a Story! How to Grab Your Readers



In contrast to "reporting," which merely imparts information, narrative journalism creates an "experience" for the reader. In other words, narrative journalism allows factual events to play out with characterization, rising and falling action, insight, dialogue, and resolution. The term "journalism" still implies the immediacy, accuracy, and newsworthiness of the subject matter, and guarantees that the newsgathering process of observation, interview, and review of documents is wholly applicable to the genre. The word "narrative," however, suggests a "literary" flavor. According to Thomas Connery, author of A Sourcebook of American Literary Journalism, narrative journalism is distinct in that "style becomes part of the meaning conveyed; the structure and organization of language interpret and inform." (Connery 15). The following elements typify a well-told story in the narrative journalism approach.

Narrative Journalism....

1. Presents the "voice" of the storyteller. Unlike traditional journalism, narrative journalism incorporates subjectivity with factual details, allowing the reader to connect with the writer on the level of impressions and emotions.
2. Places the action/characters in "time." That is, a context of history or mention of related events often accompanies the telling of the current action.
3. Contains an underlying meaning or "symbolism." Snippets of the human experience are revealed through literary allusions, metaphors, and symbolism, rendering mental images more potent and memorable.
4. Brings readers to a "destination,"and seeks to create a meaningful journey for the reader: "theme, purpose, reason, destination must be worthwhile to digest." (Nieman Program). As writer Stephen Crane once advised, "Give readers a slice of life." (Connery 7). The glimpse into humanity is the outstanding feature of the genre.

Source: https://www8.georgetown.edu