Martha Nichols

First-Person Journalism (eBook, ePUB)

A Guide to Writing Personal Nonfiction with Real Impact

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

A first-of-its-kind guide for new media times, this book provides practical, step-by-step instructions for writing first-person features, essays, and digital content.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Taylor & Francis
• Seitenzahl: 210
• Erscheinungstermin: 11. November 2021
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781000475036
• Artikelnr.: 62731765

Autorenporträt

Martha Nichols cofounded Talking Writing, a nonprofit digital magazine. A longtime writer, journalist, and editor, she is a faculty instructor in journalism at the Harvard University Extension School. She is also the editor of and a contributor to Into Sanity: Essays About Mental Health, Mental Illness, and Living in Between.

Inhaltsangabe

Contents Preface: Personal Journalism for Challenging Times PART ONE: What Is First-Person Journalism? Chapter 1: How I Became a First-Person Journalist * Defining first-person journalism * Permission to say "I" * Is it ever too personal? * Self-reporting: "What do I know?" * How to use this book * Why gonzo got it wrong
and right Chapter 2: The Ethics of Personal Reporting * He said, she said * The limits of objectivity * Liars, thieves, and postmodernists * Fictional selves versus true selves * Embracing the active "I" PART TWO: Developing an Active "I" Voice Chapter 3: Locating Your Passion: What do I want to write about? * Don
t bore yourself * Don
t perform your emotions * Don
t scream at readers * Cultivating curiosity: passion for facts * Responding to the world * Personal story: write about a "wart" Chapter 4: Investigating Yourself: How do I know my own story is true? * Why memories are not facts * Fact checking the basics * Fact checking with family and friends * Reporting on your "I" * Reporting on what you haven
t said * Admitting what yoüll never know * Memory essay: write about an early memory * Sample story: "Hurricane Warnings" Chapter 5: Establishing Your Stance: How close am I to the story? * From POV to first-person stance * Determining your emotional distance * Personal example: reining in myself * Addressing readers: five stances * Rethinking voice: active response * Review: your personal take on a media work PART THREE: Reporting Beyond the Self Chapter 6: Observing Real Life: How do I describe people and places? * Relevance versus vagueness * Three kinds of details * Conveying the feel of a place * Reporting what people do and say * Direct reporting of events * The art of capsule description * Local profile: write about a neighborhood place Chapter 7: Attributing Sources: Where do my facts come from? * What is attribution? * Sources in first-person features * Attribution tags and linking * Danger! Avoid voice hijacks * The curse of knowledge * How-to piece: explain with three tips Chapter 8: Convincing Readers: What
s my argument and who disagrees? * The curse of unconscious feeling * Point-counterpoint * Not all experts are the same * Establishing first-person authority * Open letter: address a public figure or topic PART FOUR: Storytelling to Make an Impact Chapter 9: Moving Through Time: How have I and the world changed? * Sequence: what comes first? * Chronology: orienting readers in time * Time machine: shifting between past and present selves * Trends: personal and cultural * Personal trend story: write about changes in food, music, or weather Chapter 10: Organizing a Story: How do I mix everything together? * What
s in the mix? * Classic feature formula: lead + nut graf * Scene breaks and dramatic tension * Essays: emotional journeys * New mix: feature or essay? * Sample outline: "Why I
ll Never Surf Again" Chapter 11: Revising for Impact: What do I really want to say? * Test your idea: pitching * Focus your idea: taglines * Focus your voice: cutting and selecting * Connect to the world: your impact * Story revision: complete a feature or essay * Impact Plan: how do you know? End Note: Witnessing the World with Empathy 25 Rules for First-Person Journalism Index