From an "overview" of the recent Nieman Program on Narrative Journalism conference.
(here) <p>
The conference itself was built with the advancing state of narrative in mind. A keynote panel explored ways to move narrative "Beyond Mawkishness and Mayhem." It suggested that simple ‘cliffhanger’ or ‘endangered child’ narrative mobilizes readers’ curiosity and enjoyment, and help induce these readers to come back tomorrow – such elemental narratives are useful readership-builders.
But the panel also suggested that narrative has powers to grip readers and lead them far beyond mere cliffhanging through the richest sorts of reporting -- narrative journalism has proved to be effective for organizing complex material around human stories, for exploring the routine, the personal, for handling events with complex histories, for describing processes of discovery and of personal change (for better and worse), for coordinating examinations of complex activities by dispersed parties.<p>[ November 22, 2002: Message edited by: blanp ]</p>