Write Choices: Elements of Nonfiction Storytelling
Write Choices: Elements of Nonfiction Storytelling helps writers cultivate their nonfiction storytelling skills by exploring the universal decisions writers confront when crafting factual narratives. Rather than isolating various forms of narrative nonfiction into categories or genres, Sue Hertz focuses on examining the common choices all true storytellers encounter, whether they are writing memoir, literary journalism, personal essays, or travel stories. Write Choices also includes digital storytelling. No longer confined to paper, today's narrative nonfiction writers must learn to write for electronic media, which may also demand photos, videos, and/or audio. Integrating not only her own insights and experience as a journalist, nonfiction book author, and writing instructor, but also those of other established nonfiction storytellers, both print and digital, Hertz aims to guide emerging writers through key decisions to tell the best story possible. Blending how-to instruction with illuminating examples and commentaries drawn from original interviews with master storytellers, Write Choices is a valuable resource for all nonfiction writers, from memoirists to essayists to literary journalists, at any stage of their career.
Reviews:
"To write well is hard. To teach writing well might, remarkably, be harder. Sue Hertz has written a gem of a book that makes both the writing and teaching of nonfiction storytelling easier. 'Write Choices' is required reading in my magazine and nonfiction writing classes." Benoit Denizet-Lewis, New York Times Magazine writer and assistant professor of Writing and Publishing at Emerson College
"'Write Choices' by Sue Hertz is a thorough 'anatomy' of the genre. Hertz isolates, explains and provides examples and helpful insight into ideas, approaches, techniques -- a microscopic and truly impressive examination of craft." Lee Gutkind, editor of "Creative Nonfiction"
"A detailed and inspiring resource for any serious student of narrative journalism." Paige Williams, National Magazine Award winner, New Yorker writer, and associate professor at the Missouri School of Journalism
"Such a rich resource for teachers and writers of creative nonfiction. Loads of useful information, clearly presented. Answers all the basic questions that occur to writers and anticipates others." Bob Cowser, author of "Dream Season: A Professor Joins America's Oldest Semi-Pro Football Team" and Professor of English at Saint Lawrence University
"Some can write. Some can teach. Sue Hertz does both -- very, very well. "Write Choices" is the go to book for nonfiction storytelling." Sarah Schweitzer, Pulitzer Prize finalist and narrative writer for The Boston Globe
"Throw away your nonfiction handbooks and textbooks! Sue Hertz's interactive, original, practical 'Write Choices' is here!" Faith Adiele, author of "Meeting Faith" and associate professor of writing at California College of the Arts