Overview:
The intersection of literature and journalism to create literary journalism
To be a journalist means that one must deal constraints. Constraints involving deadlines, space management, the numbers of words, the appropriate topics, word choice, and, of course, one must deal with editor and audience expectations. Literature does not have many of these constraints, but some of these constraints can aid to success in the writing process. Time schedules, the goal of reaching a certain number of words a day, and careful word choice are just a few examples. Jack London had a strict tradition of not going to bed until he wrote 1,000 words and Benjamin Franklin composed a variety of short pieces that said a lot about many in few words.
For a writer the combination can be a wonderful blend. Many literary writers to convey a deeper look and to arouse public awareness have adopted topics covered in journalism. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle addresses the meatpacking industry head on by giving insight about the working conditions and management abuses. Headlines or front-page stories have been adapted into novels to pose provocative questions about people and society or to allow the whole story and different perspectives to be presented. Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff and Stephen Crane’s works are good examples of this adaptation because all three used actual events as inspiration. Truman Capote, Tom Wolfe, and Upton Sinclair’s work covered historical, social, and significant events that impacted the immediate and future of America.
The journalistic aspect of maintaining factual information can also aid the
writer. Capturing the dialect correctly allows for a true depiction of the
culture and region. Joel
Chandler Harris went to great efforts to precisely present the dialect of his
characters to retain their language, grammar, and speech, while Eudora Welty’s
pictures gave a glimpse into the time period in focus by showing the dress and
daily lives of her subjects. William Dean Howells’ A Modern Instance relates
to readers the journalism of the time and offers a look into a marriages rise
and fall while addressing not only the relationship itself, but divorce in that
time, which was taboo. The dysfunction of a marriage was also a taboo subject
Hemingway addressed in his works, while Benjamin Franklin incorporated gossipy
topics to give spice and humor in his journalistic works.
This unique blend gives writers the ability to put their work into “time capsules” to be read in the distant future because they all cover their time periods accurately as well as present important events in an enjoyable fashion. A background in journalism becomes a useful tool in this because it calls for strict research and focus on detail, and the literary qualities permit the writers the freedom to fully tackle their opinions, topics, and concerns. This could be called a ‘match made in heaven’ because their a few disadvantages to being able to convey the “straight facts or story” with lively language, style, and humor all wrapped up in an enjoyable read.