Journalistic Writing Techniques for Nonfiction Stories

Start by getting to know a little bit about Daniela Rea and how she became a storyteller. She talks about who her main references are in journalism and other disciplines such as cinema and literature.

Study the defining features of nonfiction and its various formats and choose which suits your story best. Learn to identify the stories to tell and why they should be told before doing a few brainstorming exercises on how to connect the dots. Then begin to organize all your information in order to better understand what needs to be investigated and what you need to do to get there.

With your notebook at the ready, start your documentary and field investigation, keeping an open mind, and find yourself discovering a whole host of things you'd never have imagined. Now it's time to put pen to paper! Start writing whatever comes to mind without second-guessing yourself or holding back until you have the first draft of your text.

Then rewrite your text with intention, making corrections according to the message you want your story to give. Let Daniela give you some advice on how to revise your piece to help balance key elements of your story.

End this journey by asking someone to read your text for some constructive criticism before making the final tweaks. Daniela leaves you with some tips on what publishing options you have at your disposal in order to get your work out there.