Synopses & Reviews
In creative nonfiction, writers must be poetic and journalistic.
The Essayist at Work reveals how to meet this dual demand, offering insight into the lifestyles, techniques, and literary philosophies of some of the genre's most respected writers.
The nineteen profiles in The Essayist at Work introduce the "real writer" and the "real person" in intimate and revealing settings - immersed in research, in the midst of an interview, on the road, or at their offices trying to meet a deadline. These writers include:
- John McPhee
- Tracy Kidder
- Gay Talese
- William Least Heat-Moon
- Lisa Knopp
- Seymour Krim
- Hilary Masters
- Mark Singer
- Paul West
- Diane Ackerman
- Darcy Frey
- Jane Bernstein
- Ellen Gilchrist
- Steven Harvey
- Natalia Rachel Singer
- Mary Paumier Jones
- Alice Steinbach
- Phillip Lopate
- Mary Kay Blakely
Today, creative nonfiction/literary journalism encompasses the length and breadth of the literary spectrum. It dominates periodicals, bestseller lists, and newspapers and is employed by copywriters and journalists, playwrights and poets, essay writers and novelists.
The Essayist at Work offers proven methods for making a mark in this competitive genre.
Lee Gutkind is the editor of Creative Nonfiction, a journal dedicated exclusively to publishing writing in the creative nonfiction/literary journalism genre. Also an author, Gutkind's books include The Art of Creative Nonfiction and the award-winning Many Sleepless Nights.
Synopsis
Today, creative nonfiction/literary journalism encompasses the length and breadth of the literary spectrum. The Essayist at Work offers proven methods for making a mark in this competitive genre.
Synopsis
New insight into the lifestyles, techniques, and literary philosophies of some of the genre's most respected writers, including Annie Dillard, John McPhee, and others.
About the Author
Lee Gutkind, founder and editor of the popular journal Creative Nonfiction, has performed as a clown for Ringling Brothers, scrubbed with heart and liver surgeons, traveled with a crew of National League baseball umpires, and wandered the country on a motorcycle-all as research for eight books and numerous profiles and essays. The former director of the writing program at the University of Pittsburgh and currently a professor of English there, Gutkind pioneered the teaching of creative nonfiction, conducting workshops and presenting readings throughout the United States.