Thank You Susan Orlean

Susan, may we quote you?  In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Susan Orlean defines the theme for the narrative nonfiction faction:

There's a difference between literary nonfiction and nonfiction books. Literary nonfiction is not simply a flood of information. A lot of these books are basically travels into a subculture, even if it's not a physical journey somewhere exotic. There's nothing more exotic or strange than looking into another person's life – and finding this world that was right next to me.  It's a challenging form. So much of its success relies on its execution. Almost anyone can Google a subject and get all the facts. It's the writer who makes something of them.

Orlean is speaking at the first Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference of the Southwest in Texas.

Comments

[Erin]

I'm just curious. What is your take on the term creative nonfiction? I notice you prefer literary or narrative nonfiction instead.