The Long Fact – A Workshop
Spring 2011
Tuesdays 6 — 9 North Gate 104
Mark Danner
mark@markdanner.com
This workshop intended to guide and support those who are at work on a long-form reporting project, particularly those embarking on a written master’s thesis. Working closely with one another – the workshop will be limited to twelve – we will explore the various skills demanded in long-form reporting and writing, from development of story ideas, to shaping the pitch, to roughing out a reporting plan, to crafting a lead, to drafting, editing and writing the story. Readings will include selected works of long-form journalism drawn from The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Atlantic and other publications. During the course of the term students will be expected not only to bring their own pieces to fruition but to work actively as editors on those of their colleagues.
Requirements. At the heart of this course is the work we will do around the table during our weekly meetings. This will include collective reading and editing of drafts, planning writing strategy, and in general the kind of collaborative work that can support writing a long-form piece of journalism. The goal is to improve your writing, and your editing. Thus faithful attendance is critical. So is thorough preparation.
Grading. Students will be graded on their participation in class, the quality of their written work and the effectiveness and thoroughness of their editing the work of their colleagues.
Required Texts
William Strunk Jr and E.B. White, The Elements of Style
George Orwell, A Collection of Essays
Ian Jack (editor), The Granta Book of Reportage
James B. Stewart, Follow the Story: How to Write Successful Nonfiction
Norman Sims and Mark Kramer (editors), Literary Journalism
Roy Peter Clark, Writing Tools
Bruce Chatwin, In Patagonia
Mark Danner, The Massacre at El Mozote
Daniel Defoe, A Journal of the Plague Year
Michael Herr, Dispatches
Ryszard Kapuscinski, Shah of Shahs
Ryszard Kapuscinski, The Emperor
Janet Malcolm, A Silent Woman
V.S. Naipaul, The Writer and the World
George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia
William Vollmann, Rising Up and Rising Down
January 18, 2011 – Introducing the Long Fact
What we’re doing here (and why I don’t claim to be absolutely sure of the answer). What is “the Long Fact”? Can it be taught? If it can’t, what (again) are we doing here? Discuss…
A trip around the room: surveying the long facts…
Reading: George Orwell, “Marrakech” in Orwell, A Collection of Essays
January 25, 2011 – On Words, Sentences and Rules
Writing clearly: What to forget and what to remember. The war against cliché. Why committing journalism can be dangerous to your prose. On slicing through jargon, and other editing strategies
Reading: George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language”
Strunk and White, The Elements of Style
Workshop: Noemie Bisserbe, Carbon Credits Pitch
Puck Lo’s Immigration Piece Draft
February 1, 2011 — On Power and Truth
Reading: Ryszard Kapuscinski, The Emperor
Workshop: Deia de Brito, Ragpickers Draft
Noemie Bisserbe, Carbon Credits Pitch
February 8, 2011 – On Negotiating the Long Fact, Retrospectively
A possibly embarrassing discussion of how a “long fact” piece supposedly gets written, or anyway how it is remembered. Reporting, Structure, Writing, Editing.
Reading: Mark Danner, The Massacre at El Mozote
Workshop: Fabiane Stefano, Angola Farmers Pitch
Reporting, and What It Is — February 18, 2011 (Note: Thursday class)
Ryszard Kapuscinski, “The Soccer War” in Ian Jack, The Granta Book of Reportage
Richard Preston, “The Mountains of Pi” in Sims and Kramer, Literary Journalism
James B. Stewart, “Curiosity,” “Ideas,” “Proposals” in Follow the Story
Workshop: Leah Bartos, Medical Examiners’ Conference Draft
February 22, 2011
Reading: Adrian LeBlanc, “Trina” in Sims and Kramer, Literary Journalism
Joseph Mitchell, “The Rivermen” in Literary Journalism
James B. Stewart, “Gathering Information” in Follow the Story
Workshop: Leah Bartos, Medical Examiners Conference draft
March 4, 2011
Reading: Ian Jack, “Gibraltar” in The Granta Book of Reportage
John LeCarre, “The Unbearable Peace” in The Granta Book
James B. Stewart, “The Tipster” in Follow the Story
James Stewart, “Leads” in Follow the Story
Workshop: Fabiano Stefano, Angola Farmers Pitch
Leah Bartos, Medical Examiners Draft
March 1, 2011
Gerald Marzorati discussion on “Future of Mainstream Journalism,” with Mark Danner and Michael Pollan
March 8, 2011
Reading: Janet Malcolm, The Silent Woman
James B. Stewart, “Transitions” and “Structure” in Follow the Story
March 15, 2011
Reading: John McPhee, “Atchafalaya” in Literary Journalism
Sheri Fink, “The Deadly Choices at Memorial,” in The New York Times Magazine, August 30, 2009
James B. Stewart, “The Battle for the Sny” in Follow the Story
James B. Stewart, “Descriptions,” “Dialogue,” “Anecdotes” in Follow the Story
March 22, 2011: Spring Break
March 29, 2011
Reading: V.S. Naipaul, “Michael X and the Black Power Killings in Trinidad” and “The Return of Eva Peron” in The Writer and the World
James B. Stewart, “Humor and Pathos,” “Endings,” and “Conclusions” in Follow the Story
Workshop: Scott Bransford, “Join Up or Go Home: Ethical Dilemmas…,” draft
April 19, 2011
Reading: Daniel Defoe, A Journal of the Plague Year
Workshop: Scott Bransford, “Stasio’s War: An Introduction,” Draft
April 24, 2011 (Liaisons Dinner Meeting)
Reading: George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia
Workshop: Deia de Brito, “God is My Alarm Clock [Brazil Draft]”
April 26, 2011 (978 Grizzly Peak Meeting)
Reading: William Vollmann, Rising Up, Rising Down, pp. 598-705
“Where Are All the Pretty Girls?”
“Let Me Know If You’re Scared”
“Dey Bring Dem Bloodstains up Here”
Workshop: Puck Lo, “The War That Didn’t Happen,” Master’s Project
May 3, 2011
Reading: John Simpson, “Tianamen Square,” from The Granta Book
Suketu Mehta, “Mumbai,” from The Granta Book
Elena Lapin, “The Man with Two Heads,” from The Granta Book
Mark Danner, “Iraq: The War of the Imagination,” The New York Review
Workshop: Fabiane Stefano, “Land of Generals” draft
Josh Wolf, Police Surveillance Video Pitch
Scott Bransford, San Francisco Bay Guardian Pitch
