This blog is not a confessional. But... having a heck of a time with this feature. Wrote myself into a corner with an ill-conceived topic and then very little access. Oh no!!! So, I've cracked open a copy of "Telling True Stories" a collection of super-short essays from non-fiction writers published by the Nieman Foundation.
I am posting this hoping it will help anyone else who is struggling. The directly quoted list below only has his main points, check out the book for more explanation/tips.
Mark Kramer's 10 Tips
1. Before selecting a topic, think carefully about what will intrigue readers.
2. After selecting a good topic, secure good access. (I botched this one big time!)
3. Find the unfolding action that will provide the narrative line.
4. Find hints of character in he action.
5. Find the right scene details through careful sensory reporting.
6. Pinpoint your subjects' emotional experience, not your own.
7.Rigorously research your story's context: Save most of your research for late in the reporting process. At that point you only have to find the right information for your story. If you research too early, you have to find out everything (wow, can I learn from this!)
8. Late in the drafting process, crystallize the point of your story.
9. Very late in the writing process, refine the difference between your views and your subject's views.
10. Cherish the structural ideas and metaphors that come to you while you are reporting.
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