Longform workshop/Spring 2020/p.1

The Long Piece: Strategies of Narrative Journalism 243 Spring 2020

Michael Pollan [email protected] (510) 525-5131 (office) (510) 501-5217 (cell) Class time: Tuesday 2-5, Lower Office hours: Mondays 3-5, by appointment, 134 Northgate Hall

The focus of the course will be on making the transition from writing short pieces for outlets to writing narratives for magazines and books. What’s the difference between a subject and a story? How do you find the narrative line in a mass of information? How do you structure that narrative? When is the first-person appropriate? What is the role of the editor and publication in shaping your story? The arc of the course will trace the process of writing a single narrative piece: finding and pitching story ideas; reporting in depth and at length; outlining and structuring your story; choosing a narrative voice and strategy; crafting leads and “overtures;” and making transitions between your story and its larger contexts. As a group, we’ll also work as editors on one another’s ideas and drafts. And since reading good prose is the best way to learn to write it, we’ll closely read a substantial piece of narrative journalism each week. Students will be expected to complete two drafts of a 4-5,000-word piece by the end of the term.

Required Reading Strunk and White, The Elements of Style James Stewart, Follow the Story Tracy Kidder & Richard Todd, Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction (Please purchase these books)

Class One — Introduction January 21, 2020 In class: Goals of the class; expectations and procedures. Introductory interviewing exercise. Why long form journalism? Setting sights realistically—and locally. Ideas and pitches: the hunt begins. Starting a story file. Student introductions.

Assignment for next class: Write a brief profile of your interviewee. Bring 12 copies to next class.

Longform workshop/Spring 2020/p.2

Class Two — The Reader Over Your Shoulder January 28, 2020 Readings: “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell The Elements of Style by Strunk and White “The Problem of Style” in Good Prose (Ch. 5) Close reading: Rachel Aviv “The Trauma of Facing Deportation” https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/04/03/the-trauma-of-facing-deportation

In class: Clichés and shopworn prose in journalism and how to transcend it. vs. magazine writing: lede, voice, structure, conceit. Template. Sign up for article presentations. Assign student pairs.

Assignments for next class: Bring three potential story ideas, at least one from the newspaper, others from websites, specialized publications, sources, friends etc. At least one story idea should be one you are uniquely well situated or qualified to write. Sign up for Student Article Presentations (SAP)

Class Three — Finding the Story February 4, 2020 Readings: Follow the Story by James Stewart (Intro, chapters 1-3) Sample pitches from NYT Magazine and How writers read the newspaper and web (w/questions)

In class: What makes a good magazine story? Story ideas presented and discussed. How to interrogate a story idea: the story catechism.

Assignment for next class: Draft a brief query for each of your two best idea and email to the class list-serve for workshopping in next class. Due February 9

Class Four -- The Art of the Pitch February 11, 2020 Readings: Student queries Topic vs. story: Tailoring pitches to particular magazine/audience. MP’s Psychedelic Science pitch

In class: First student article presentation. (Hereafter SAP)

Assignment for next class: Report and rewrite your best pitch, or draft a new one, for Class Five. DUE Feb 16. Send to list-serve.

Longform workshop/Spring 2020/p.3

Class Five — Story Development February 18, 2020 Readings: NYT Magazine queries, memos, correspondence between reporter and editor.

In class: Editing pairs assigned; meet with your editor/writer. Practice pitching Reporting the pitch. SAP

Class Six-- Reporting the Long Story February 25, 2020 Readings: Stewart (Chapter 4) Pollan research files (Psychedelic science, cattle industry)

In class: Guest editor: Clara Jeffrey, editor, Mother Jones Gathering information (global and local); sources and resources; reading and interviewing techniques; organizing your story file (show MP article files on laptop). Moral/emotional dilemmas of immersion reporting: reporter/ relationships. SAP

Assignment for next class: Reporting progress memo due in class next week, March 3

Class Seven— The Outline: Structuring the Story March 3, 2020 Readings: “Power Steer” by Michael Pollan

In class: REPORTING PROGRESS MEMO DUE IN CLASS Guest writer: Mary Roach Parts and wholes; moments and scenes. Finding the path through the field of material. Discussion of structuring process of “Power Steer.” The importance, and freedom, of a narrative laundry line. In Medias Res: the inverted “e” structure and others variations on chronology. In-class writing assignment on physical description (take notes on our guest). SAP

Assignment for next class: Bring example of a first-person lede; write a brief character sketch of the narrator: who is this person?

Super Tuesday: VOTE!!!

Longform workshop/Spring 2020/p.4

Class Eight — Beginnings: Leads and Overture March 10, 2020 Readings: Stewart: “Leads” (Chapter Five) Kidder & Todd, “Beginnings” in Good Prose Pollan and other leads and overtures “Playing God in the Garden” by Pollan

In class: When and where to begin. Teasing themes. “Nut” graphs, “Overtures” and the “Promise.” Discuss classic leads from different magazines. SAP

Assignments for next class: Scheduling memos for student articles, workshop outlines, progress reports. REMINDER: OUTLINES DUE to me and your editor the Sunday before Spring break (March 22). LEADS and OVERTURES DUE to list-serv the Sunday after spring break (March 29).

Class Nine — Point of View and Voice March 17, 2020 Readings: Stewart Chapter 6, “Transitions” Mary Roach “Chimps with Spears” http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/04/chimps-with-spears/mary-roach-text http://niemanstoryboard.org/stories/annotation-tuesday-mary-roach-and-almost-human/ http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-gut-wrenching-science-behind-the-worlds-hottest- peppers-73108111/?no-ist

In class: First and third person; varieties of the literary “I” SAP

SPRING BREAK—NO CLASS MARCH 24. Reminder: OUTLINES DUE to me and your editor the Sunday before Spring break (March 22). LEADS and OVERTURES DUE to list-serv the Sunday after spring break (March 29). SAP

Class Ten -- Narrative Tools: Description, Transition, Humor, Anecdote March 31, 2020 Readings: Stewart, 8-11

In class: Guest writer: Jon Mooallem (’06) Workshop overtures in class In-Class writing assignment (write and read) SAP Longform workshop/Spring 2020/p.5

Reminder: DRAFTS DUE TO YOUR EDITOR April 3 DRAFTS DUE TO POLLAN (with editorial cover note) April 5

Class Eleven-- The Art of the Ending April 7, 2020 Readings: Finish Stewart Reread ending of “Psychedelic Science,” “Power Steer,” others

In class: Workshop overtures, cont’d. Discussion of exemplary endings/kickers SAP

Class Twelve-- Strategies of Revision April 14, 2020 Readings: George Saunders, “What writers really do when they write” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/mar/04/what-writers-really-do-when- they-write

In class: How to sneak up on your own work and see it as an editor Workshop selected section drafts SAP

Class Thirteen-- Getting Published, Working with Editors April 21, 2020 Readings: Robert Gottlieb interview (Paris Review) Kidder & Todd, “Being Edited and Editing” in Good Prose

In class: Fitting the story to the magazine; working with editors; magazine formulae and voice(s); making a living as a freelance writer Workshop selected drafts SAP

NO CLASS APRIL 28th

FINAL DRAFT DUE MAY 3

Class Fourteen—The Writing Life May 5, 2020 Longform workshop/Spring 2020/p.6

Readings: “Proust wasn’t a Neuroscientist. Neither was Jonah Lehrer, http://nymag.com/news/features/jonah-lehrer-2012-11/ Listen to: At least one episode of the podcast “Longform” and come prepared to discuss it.

In class: Workshop drafts as necessary Life and work strategies for the freelance writer Opportunities and perils From articles to books, queries to book proposals SAP

Overview of due dates:

February 4 (bring to class): Bring three potential story ideas, at least one from the newspaper, others from websites, specialized publications, sources, friends etc. At least one story idea should be one you are uniquely well situated or qualified to write.

February 9: Draft a brief query for each of your two best idea and email to the class list- serve for workshopping in next class

February 16: Report and rewrite your best pitch, or draft a new one. Send to list-serve.

March 3: Reporting progress memo due in class

March 10: Due in class: Bring example of first person lead; write character sketch of the narrator: who is this person?

March 17: Due in class: Scheduling memos for student articles, workshop outlines, progress reports.

March 22: Outlines due to Michael and your editor

March 29: Leads and overtures due. Send to list-serv.

April 3: Drafts due to your editor

April 5: Drafts due to Pollan (with editorial cover note)

May 3: Final draft due

Expectations:

Each student will complete two drafts of a substantial piece of narrative journalism, ideally a local story of national interest. Students may apply to the Knight Program for travel grants to report their stories if they meet Program criteria. Longform workshop/Spring 2020/p.7

Intermediate deadlines –for pitches, outlines, reporting memos and overtures-- are as important as final deadlines. Students will be paired for editing purposes, and you will be evaluated on your editing as well as your writing and class participation.

Punctuality is essential in journalism, and will be weighed in your evaluation. No absences or late arrivals without prior permission, except in an emergency. Access to the internet during class is strongly discouraged; cell phones must be turned off.

Deadlines and submissions: Missing a deadline is a serious infraction in journalism and so it will be in this class. All assignments should be submitted to me at [email protected] by midnight on the date specified, or to the list serve if indicated. All assignments should be in the form of Microsoft Word files and should have your name –not mine!—in the file name.

Attendance: We only meet once a week, so it is imperative you come to every class. Unavoidable absences must be cleared with the instructor in advance; you will be expected to get notes from a classmate and complete any missed assignments. Students who don’t complete a draft will receive an incomplete.

Grading: Evaluations will be based on the following formula:

50% Writing. The quality of your first and final draft as well as intermediate assignments, including your query. 25% Editing. The quality of your editorial contribution to your colleague’s article. 25% Class participation. The quality of your engagement in class discussion, as well as your formal oral presentations.

Academic Dishonesty & Plagiarism:

The high academic standard at the University of California, Berkeley, is reflected in each degree that is awarded. As a result, it is up to every student to maintain this high standard by ensuring that all academic work reflects his/her own ideas or properly attributes the ideas to the original sources.

These are some basic expectations of students with regards to academic integrity:

Any work submitted should be your own individual thoughts, and should not have been submitted for credit in another course unless you have prior written permission to re-use it in this course from this instructor.

All assignments must use "proper attribution," meaning that you have identified the original source of words or ideas that you reproduce or use in your assignment. This includes drafts and homework assignments! Longform workshop/Spring 2020/p.8

If you are unclear about expectations, ask your instructor.

Disability Accommodations:

If you need disability-related accommodations in this class, if you have emergency medical information you wish to share with the instructor, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform the instructor as soon as possible by seeing him/her after class or making an appointment to visit office hours. If you are not currently listed with DSP (Disabled Students’ Program) but believe that you could benefit from their support, you may apply online at dsp.berkeley.edu.

Library Resources:

Gisèle Tanasse is the librarian detailed to the . 510-643-8566 (email preferred) [email protected]

Film & Media Services Librarian Media Resources Center University of California, Berkeley

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