This week’s Open Book was one of my favorite yet. The great Lee Gutkind keeps reeling in fascinating guests, and the latest is veteran New York Times obituary writer Michael Roswenwald, who told us all about the craft of obituary writing—how he decides what to include, what to leave out, and how this work shapes the way we think about narrative, memory, and meaning.
Paid subscribers can watch the full conversation above.
(Not a subscriber and want to try it out? Drop us a line at academy@narratively.com and we’ll give you a free week’s access so you can watch this and our entire archive of Open Book videos.)
Watch more Open Book episodes from Lee Gutkind and Narratively Academy:
Jane Friedman on Finding Balance in the Writing Business
Kim Cross on How to Write Great Dialogue in Nonfiction Stories
Dinty W. Moore on What the Heck is a Flash Essay?
And if you’re new to Narratively Academy—or if you’re not!—a quick reminder that tomorrow is Writers’ Room, a virtual session we facilitate each Wednesday morning — at 8 a.m. on both the East and West coasts — in which writers of all genres gather to write together. We share what we plan to work on at the top, spend a majority of the time typing away and then check back in at the end to share how it all went. If you’re looking for accountability, inspiration or some semblance of a writing routine, this might be just the thing for you.
(If you are asked for a passcode, enter: 824784)
Want to receive text message alerts each week when we’re about to begin Writers’ Room, or add this weekly event to your calendar?
8 a.m. ET Writers’ Room: head here to (very easily) sign up for text alerts, and here to add the 8 a.m. ET Writers’ Room to your calendar.
8 a.m. PT Writers’ Room: head here to sign up for text alerts and here to add the 8 a.m. PT Writers’ Room to your cal.
