Narrative nonfiction for journalists
Elevate your stories into literary art by applying the principles of fiction writing to your daily reporting in this three-day course.
Journalists are sometimes so busy sticking to the facts that it’s easy to forget to tell the story. Use tried-and-tested fiction storytelling techniques to breathe new life into your reporting. Engage and move your reader (or listener) by using words as tiny weapons of persuasion. During this practical five-day course you’ll learn how to tease out narratives that make for compulsive reading and tell literary stories that are rooted in deep research and ethical newsgathering. As you immerse yourself in your stories, you’ll develop a more human point-of-view and a fresh voice in your writing, while staying grounded in the basics of journalism. You’ll tell better, more beautiful stories – no sensationalism required.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Employ the four golden rules of creative nonfiction writing
- Explore different perspectives and genres in your writing
- Conceptualise compelling long-form stories
- Do a deep-dive into your subject using rigorous research methods
- Tease out telling details and personal anecdotes in your interviews
- Follow emotion for better storytelling
- Structure your reporting for maximum effect
- Distil complex ideas into engaging narratives
- Write colour and scenes that appeal to all five senses
Course Details
Duration: Three days
Location: Johannesburg or online
Group size: 3-10 participants
How it works: This course can either be run as a block course (three consecutive days) or one day of training weekly over three weeks.
Nala Academy prides itself on offering the best, by the best. We provide a range of online and in-person courses for journalists, editors and content producers. Our training is dynamic, contemporary and practical – with course content that evolves as quickly as the industry does.
Our core training team includes some of the most recognised names in media in Africa who have built, led and worked for some of the biggest media brands on the continent. We also bring in prominent global journalists and communicators as guest trainers.
To sign up for this course or enquire about our other offerings, get in touch.