In an interview with Poynter Institute reporter Brian Spadora, author Norman Sims told of his concerns for journalism, and where he sees the field going.
Sims recently wrote a book, "True Stories: A Century of Literary Journalism" in which he discussed the importance of literary journalism. Unlike hard news reporting found in newspapers, literary journalism is more about telling stories.
While this style of writing is typically found in magazines, it still has applications to newspaper reporting.
Sims said he would like to see more description, characterization and scene-setting in news stories for all genres of publication.
"I don't fear for literary journalism, because it has natural qualities that attract good writers. I have greater concerns about the sustainability of traditional public affairs journalism," said Sims.
Do you think newspaper reporting would be better off implementing some of these literary techniques? Or do you think both styles have their place: paired-down writing in newspapers and literary writing in magazines?
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I think there is a place for different story forms in different kinds of media. There's certainly a place for narrative in newspapers as well as magazines. A good story, well told, is a wonderful thing. But not every story lends itself to narrative. And not every writer can do it well. So I think you need to have both skills - give me the news quickly and capture me with a well-told story.
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