Write Choices: Elements of Nonfiction Storytelling

by Sue Hertz

Developing nonfiction writers at any stage of their career Write Elements of Nonfiction Storytelling helps writers cultivate their nonfiction storytelling skills by exploring the universal decisions writers confront when crafting any kind of factual narrative. 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 essays. And since today’s writers are no longer confined to paper, Write Choices also includes digital storytelling options, and how writers can employ technology to enhance their narratives. 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 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 essayists to memoirists to literary journalists, at any stage of their career.

Genres: Journalism, Nonfiction, Writing

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2015

About the author

Sue Hertz is an associate professor of English and nonfiction writing at the University of New Hampshire where she teaches in both its graduate and undergraduate writing programs. Author of Write Choices: Elements of Nonfiction Storytelling and Caught in the Crossfire: A Year on Abortion’s Front Line, she has published essays and stories in numerous national and regional publications, including Redbook, House Beautiful, Walking, New England Monthly Magazine, Boston Magazine, The Boston Globe Magazine, and Parenting. Before she began the double life of teacher-writer, she was a feature writer for The Hartford Courant, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and The Herald in Everett, WA.

Reviews

[TimetoFangirl]

Another textbook that read like a textbook. Can you tell I'm adding my "read this cause of school" to my profile?

[Valerie]

A good book to start learning about the non-fiction writing process, but it is very much a starter guide, not how-to details. It also has very shooking unnecessary explicit excerpts.

[Allie Nicole]

Read for my non fiction writing workshop class. If you’re interested in learning the basics of non fiction writing, this is helpful.

[Govi]

What a great textbook on writing creative non-fiction. I learned something on each and every page, each of which was filled with great examples from great writers.