Narrative journalism

Narrative journalism, also referred to as literary journalism, is defined as creative nonfiction that contains accurate, well-researched information. It is related to immersion journalism, where a writer follows a subject or theme for a long period of time (weeks or months) and details an individual's experiences from a deeply personal perspective.

History

Truman Capote's In Cold Blood is a historic example of narrative journalism in novel form. The book was published in 1965, being therefore the second "nonfiction novel" and helped show journalists the possibility of using creative writing techniques while holding to the guidelines of journalism. The first "non-fiction" novel was "Operación Masacre", written in 1957 by the Argentine writer Rodolfo Walsh.

Though Capote claims to have invented this new form of journalism, the origin of a movement of creative writing in journalism is often thought to have occurred much earlier. Characteristics of narrative journalism can be found in Daniel Defoe's writing in the 18th century, as well as in writings of Mark Twain in the 19th century and James Agee, Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck in the World War II period.