Patrick Radden Keefe: How to Write Captivating Stories | How I Write

Patrick Radden Keefe, a staff writer at the New Yorker and author of narrative nonfiction, discusses his "Write Around Reporting" technique, which involves writing about individuals who refuse to be interviewed. He emphasizes the importance of painting a multifaceted picture of a subject, drawing on extensive research and interviews with those around them to capture their essence, even if it makes the subject uncomfortable. Keefe illustrates how place infuses a story, citing his book "London Falling," where family histories and immigration to London shape the narrative. He also highlights the role of structure in nonfiction writing, advocating for non-linear storytelling and the strategic withholding of information to intrigue readers, as exemplified by his piece on Chapo Guzman, which opens in Amsterdam.