I’ll admit it up front. I’m a huge fan of Jack Hart. I first heard him speak at a Neiman Narrative Conference a few years ago. I came away wishing heartily that I had a writing coach – any writing coach – let alone a writing coach as amazing as Jack Hart. I also came away knowing absolutely that this was the type of writing I wanted to do. No surprise then, when I had a chance to sit in a Master Class with Hart a few years later, I did not hesitate for one nano-instant!

Storycraft is billed as the complete guide to writing narrative nonfiction. It’s close enough to true that it’s almost a case of if it isn’t in this book you don’t need to know it. Each chapter focuses on one aspect of the storytelling-with-facts that is the basis of all narrative nonfiction. The examples are splendid and the explanations are clear.

You may never pick up a pen or sit at a keyboard to write anything. You’ll still benefit from knowing a bit about the decisions that have been made before the piece you’re reading reaches you. This book is definitely worth a look.

I rate it 5/5.

Get your copy here: Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)

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