Blog #4

Alex Kotlowitz-

This week for our literary journalism class, we started reading our third book containing examples of literary journalism. Each book that we read is totally different and I have no idea what to expect when I open the book. This week’s book is titled “The New New Journalism, Conversations with America’s Best Nonfiction Writers on Their Craft,” by Robert S. Boynton. After reading the back cover of the book, the book seems like it will approach different authors on their methods, writings, and careers.

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The first article we had to read was called Alex Kotlowitz. The article starts discussing a piece that Kotlowitz had written that turned into a book about two black children who were raised in poverty. Kotlowitz’s second book was two towns on either side of a river in Michigan, a drowning took place in the river and each town had their different stories of what happen.  Overall, Kotlowitz’s writing deals primarily with race.

After the introduction, the book transitions into a question and answer interview session with Kotlowitz. This set up is a prime example of literary journalism, also in the answers Kotlowitz’s discusses the way to he works to produce his articles which are examples of literary journalism.  I really enjoyed reading the answers about how he finds story ideas, since I have struggled with this concept in writing literary journalism pieces and several other writing classes.  Another question I found unique was what type of journalism he clarifies his writing to be because there are so many different types of writing, especially news writing. When Alex starts to interview subjects, he asks the subject to tell him a story instead of asking questions right off the bat, I think this is a very helpful option when starting a story especially when your subject is a child. 

Adrian Nicole LeBlanc-

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All the articles in this book are set up the same way, starting with two or three pages in prose introducing the author and their topics of reporting. The second article I chose to read was about Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, an author who is known for writing about a family who was affected by drugs, crime, life and love. After reading the interview section about LeBlanc, it is clear that she likes writing about children because they can make things “uncluttered.”  I also enjoyed learning her writing and editing. First, she organizes all her research into files, separated by events and placed in chronological orders. She writes emotionally rather than chronologically, and attempts to make the connection between all the events that took place. Also after writing her first draft, she makes an outline to make sure everything works as it’s supposed to in the order she wrote it.

Clearly, the way this article is written is a literary journalism example, but the things that are discussed in what way this author writes and works is literary journalism. Her technique of writing and method of reporting combined make a wonderful literary journalism piece. LeBlanc involves herself with people who are going through something worth writing about.

My Own Ideas-

http://www.waconiapatriot.com/articles/20
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Colin Faust is a graduate of Waconia High School, where I also graduated from. He was serving as a corporal in the United States Marines in Afghanistan when he stepped on an improvised explosive device and was nearly killed. His right leg and left arm were both damaged, and his left leg was ripped apart. He has now had multiple surgeries and is now living at home with his parent. He is still taking part in physical therapy. The story I would write would be about the story of his siblings, Cassie and Bryan, and his parents Sonja and Pat and how they found out about his brothers/sons injuries and how this one event has changed their lives.

New York Times Examples-

An example of literary journalism in the Wednesday, September 21, 2011 edition of the paper was on the front cover. The article was titled “Marines Hit the Ground Running In Seeking Recruits at Gay Center.” The article discusses how Marines are allowing gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual into the Marines. The articles start off with an example of a man who had his plan and even had his van parked so he could have a getaway vehicle if needed. The article also discusses how the Marines are known for being macho and manly. They hope that this will make them better than the other areas of the military due to their openness and acceptances of these people without having a don’t ask don’t tell rule. However this will be a slow transition as the article states that there was no huge line waiting outside the recruitment center. The article is an example of literary journalism because it explains in detail each person that arrived and signed up during the first day of that this change has been implemented.  However, there are also specific requirements for being a Marine, you must be a healthy weight for your height, can’t have asthma nor attention deficient disorder.

Another article in the same paper was called “Nickel Sales Just the Tonic For a Soda Foundtain’s Revival,” which tells the story of a fountain store recently opened where you can get an ice cream cone, soda or coffee for only a nickel. The piece is an example of literary journalism because its details the whole past of the building and even the students that come to the store each day for there after school treat.