Reading of selected texts to explore the ways in which literary journalism and related nonfiction modes formulate experience. Students write several short papers and one final project. The required prerequisite for either section of LJ 20 is satisfactory completion of the lower-division writing requirement.

To write convincingly and tell powerful stories that resonate, writers need to be meticulous, thorough reporters. LJ21 teaches students how to report their literary journalism articles accurately and thoroughly, focusing on the three basic means of gathering information for a story: interviewing, observing and reading. Early in the quarter, students will select a topic, or “beat,” as it is known in news parlance, from which they will develop contacts and story leads. Students will cover an event, conduct an interview and generate articles related to their beats, also learning ways to use Internet resources and databases to find facts and information and examining investigative and legal documents. The required prerequisite for either section of LJ 21 is satisfactory completion of the lower-division writing requirement.

In some quarters, the practice of “reconstructing” a story is seen as suspect if not impossible. How can you write about events if you weren’t present when they happened? How can you know what other people think or feel? Doesn’t reconstruction border on fiction? In this workshop, students will explore such questions­ and learn just how literary journalists manage to practice the art of reconstruction in entirely ethical, accurate ways. Students will read exemplary models of reconstructed narrative by writers such as Jon Krakauer, Laura Hillenbrand and Michael Paterniti. They will see why reconstruction plays such a crucial, honorable role in the field of literary journalism. They will also do a good deal of their own reconstruction (learning, along the way, what Tom Wolfe meant when he said that “entering people’s minds” was just “one more doorbell a reporter had to push.”) This course is an advanced writing workshop: students will regularly share their work with classmates in a constructive process of peer-review, then revise based on that feedback. By the end of the quarter, students will have produced a major example of reconstructed narrative writing.

The essence of feature writing is storytelling. In this class we will study the art of
storytelling. We will focus on ledes, transitions, narrative flow, character development and
story structure. Each week, we will study a different aspect of narrative writing. Several
guest speakers, accomplished newspaper and magazine writers, will visit the class and
describe their techniques. Because the key to literary journalism is great reporting, we will
emphasize the practical elements of feature writing and will study interviewing and reporting
techniques. Students will hone their craft by writing. Aspiring feature writers, however,
cannot improve their writing simply by writing. Extensive reading is a must. As a
result, reading features stories and analyzing feature writing will be an important part of
this class. Students will write two stories: a profile and an in-depth feature.

Some people spend their weekends reenacting Civil War battles; others celebrate the escape of civil war in their homeland for the safety of America. Some people perfect a personal style of graffiti they emblazon on urban walls; others weave rugs out of bread wrappers. Some people seek calm in their daily Yoga workout; others speak in tongues at a weekly religious service. The subject of this course is writing about everyday life, searching out the extraordinary detail, the compelling drama, and the profound meaning that structure the lives of ordinary people. Be prepared to produce short pieces of writing for every class and complete one long, well-researched paper by the end of the quarter.

True crime, at its best, it not just about cops and killers, but can tell us much about the
world in which we live. While the crimes may animate the narratives – which make for gripping
reading – the best books transcend the genre by giving readers a strong sense of place, an
insight into the criminal mind, a window into the cops’ world, a feel for the agony of the
victims, and the impact on the community. Every crime contains three major players that
provide the cornerstone for compelling character studies: a perpetrator, a victim, and an
investigator. In this class we will discuss the ethnical challenges true crime writers
encounter, the difficulties they face during the reporting, and the decisions they make during
the writing. We will explore the psychology of criminals; the effect their behavior has on
society, the legal world and the criminal justice system; and the social implications of their
crimes. Homicide detectives, former prison inmates, and true crime writers will visit the
class, give presentations and answer questions. Some writers whose works we will read
include David Grann, Norman Mailer, and John Berendt.