Telling True Stories

The country’s most prominent journalists and nonfiction authors gather each vear at Harvard's Nieman Conference on Narrative journalism. T e l l i n g T r u e S t o r i e s  presents their best advice—covering everything from finding a good

topic, to structuring narrative stories, to riting and selling your first hoo!.

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refreshingly candid and insightful recommendations, recommendations, T e l l i n g T r u e S t o r i e s shos anyone (fascinate (fascinated d by the art of riting riting nonfiction nonfiction ho to bring  peop le, scen es, and idea s to lif e on the page .

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Copyright S The /resident and :ellos of Harvard College, =GG? h rights reserved These ritings are adapted from the authors’ presentauons at the Nieman Confer# ence on Narrative journalism. +ach selection is the copvrighted property of its respective author ancappears i n th is v ol um e by a rr an ge me nt  it h th e in di vi du al  ri te r. ( ? ,. 7+39T+7+- T7-@"7@#

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Telling True 9tories $  nonfiction riters' guide from the Nieman :oundation at Harvard 5niversity 0 edited  "ar! @ramer and &endy Call, p. cm. 1 398N )?9#G#J=#=I?#E B. 7eporters and reporting. = Rournalism#uthorship. 3. @ramer, "ar!. 33. Call. &endy M&endy 4ouise. B)EI# 333. Harvard 5niversity. Nieman :ound# ation for journalism. 1 . . /NJ?IB.TJ =GG? ' # 1 G?G.J'O—dc== 1 1 =GGEG=EIG) / r in te d i n t he 5 n it e d 9 t at e s merica 9et in Ne 8as!erville 1 -esigned by +ve lU @irch

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&ithout limiting the rights under copvright reserved above, no part of this publica # tion may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or  transmitted, in anv form, or by arm means Melectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherise, ithout the prior ritten permission of both the copyright oner and the above publisher of this boo!. /58439H+7'9 N6T+ ' The scantling, uploading, and distribution of this boo! via the 3nternet or via anv other means it limit the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by la, /lease purchase only authoried electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy ol copvrighted materials. Dour support of the author’s righ4s is appreciated. 866@9 @t ;3484+ '3 65NT3T; -39C65NT9 &H+N 59+- T6 /76"6T+ /76-5CT9 67 .9+7;3C+9. @@ B N +6 793 T3 6 N /4+9+ &73T+ T6 /7+"35" "7@+T3N -3;3936N, /+N53N C765/ M59 3NC., O?'F H5-96N 9T7++T, N+& D67@, N+& D67@ BGGBJ.

"ar! @ramer and &endy Call dedicate this boo! to their  families, 9usan, &ill, and +H, and to ram, "arilyn, -ouglas, lan, and @ate, respectively.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

"ar! @ramer arid &endy Call give their deepest than!s to the many  peop le ho made this boo! pos sibl e and to the orga ni ati ons tha t supported it. ll fifty#one contributors generously donated their pre# cious ords and then their help and patience through many rounds of  edits. Rina "oore read the enure manuscript, as!ed sharp Vuestions, !ept trac! of countless pieces of paper, and made this a much better bodW.. 8uc! +ing and "ary#Helena "clnerney recorded and transcri more than half a million ords. eri Thoma alays had cool and dflrn advice. The entire Nieman Narrative team—4isa 8ir!, jenny -avitr, 4iliana 3bara, -asha 3Cusa, Nell 4a!e, Ressica /ierce, /auliina /ope, "artha 9ynnott, and /rat Tha!!ar—offered all sorts of support over more than three years. Chuc! Collins, jim Collins, 4aurie Hertel, Rohn Temple, /atricia &eaver :rancisco, and -ic! &eiss each read portions of the manuscript and made eXcellent suggestions. RacVui 8anasyns!i and dam Hochschild added insight and enthusiasm at regular intervals. Trena @eating, +mily Haynes, and 4avina 4ee deftly turned our  manuscript into this boo!. 8ob iles, curator of the Nieman :oundation and the @night :oundation, provided essential support. Than!s to the /oynter 3nstitute, hich lent its name and savvy to our narrative  jou rnal ism conf eren ce eari y on. and to the  "o st on #l o$ e, the % r e g o n i a n , and the Harvard 8oo! 9tore, also generous conference cosponsors, "ar! also than!s 9usan +aton, 9id and +sther @ramer, &ill and +li @ramer, &endy Call, 9ean /loen, joe 4avalle, 4esh vens, 8ob and Roan &eiss, 7oy /eter Clar!, 7anald "acdonald, 9amuel "cCrac!en, 9heryl Rac!son, -avid nabel, Nic! "ills, Noel /errin, 9am

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&endy also than!s -ouglas and "arilyn Call, ram :alsa fi, 9andra

7ui= Harris, /am @asey, "ar! @ramer, -avid /almer, Carol 7ose, and 9asha 9u#4ing &elland.

& Acknowle'gments  Pre+ace

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CONTENTS