BLOGS
I'll be posting new blog posts offering tips and reflections on nonfiction writing from time to time. Click here if you want to be informed when I publish a new article.
Harness the power of interviews
Many nonfiction writers focus mostly on written research and neglect the many benefits of using primary sources. In this blog post, I look at ways nonfiction authors can deploy interviews to enhance the impact of their work.
The Human-Interest Approach: Focusing on People to Convey Facts
First published at janefriedman.com
In journalism, we call them human interest stories—articles or broadcasts that cover the news from the perspective of individuals who are affected by the events.
Storytelling in nonfiction
Storytelling may not be a term that most people associate with nonfiction. Yet crafting a compelling narrative is crucial to enhance the impact of your message and keep readers' interested.
Timely Yet Timeless: Crafting Nonfiction That Outlasts Current Events
First published at janefriedman.com
In a world changing at breakneck speed, how do you prevent a researched nonfiction book from being outdated by the time it is published?
Solving the puzzle
Coming up with a brilliant idea for a nonfiction book marks the beginning of an exciting creative journey. But it is just a start. Fleshing out the initial theme and finding a structure for its components is the next challenge.
Should I write this book?
Many people want to write a book. They have an idea and want to make their voice heard. But not all of them take the plunge and go through with their project. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
BOOKS
Honor Killings in the Twenty-First Century
by Nicole Pope
Palgrave Macmillan 2011; paperback 2015
"In this powerfully written book, Nicole Pope takes a comparative look at so-called honor killings, searching out the patterns and triggers that cause families and relatives to kill women suspected of sexual misconduct or even just defiance or disobedience. Pope compares honor killings in Pakistan and Turkey with violence against women elsewhere in the world, opening the road to new ways of understanding what has often been seen as a Middle Eastern or Muslim problem. Her heart-wrenching interviews with victims' families and with women who survived illuminate the social and cultural forces that lead families to murder, but also give some glimpse of how this scourge might be eliminated."
Jenny White, author of Turkish Kaleidoscope, Muslim Nationalism and the New Turks and The Sultan's Seal
Turkey Unveiled: A History of Modern Turkey
by Nicole Pope and Hugh Pope
London: John Murray, 1997
Woodstock, N.Y.: Overlook Press, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2011
A New York Times "Notable Book" of 1999
"A careful attempt to combine criticism with understanding and affection for the country... one of the best accounts of Turkey's recent political history."
Orhan Pamuk, Times Literary Supplement, August 8, 1997
"An unrivalled history of modern Turkey"
The Economist, May 19, 2005
"A deeply revealing guide to modern Turkish culture and politics that fills a wide gap in general knowledge...a brave and at times ironic book."
Robert D. Kaplan, The New York Times Book Review, January 17, 1999
"This book campaigns with great clarity and vigour against our ignorance and bewilderment ... Turkey Unveiled is a responsible and well-balanced book that neither takes sides nor shirks important issues. It conveys a clear picture of Turkey's development from Ottoman times to the present, it is rich in anecdote and observation, and manages to be affectionate and respectful, but highly critical, at the same time. It reads seamlessly, which is remarkable in a co-authored book."
Louis de Bernières, author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin, The Observer Review, June 15, 1997