Power of Narrative 2025

What makes for a compelling, commercial book idea? Sr. Editor Ariel Curry and six-figure ghostwriter Liz Morrow share the best practices they've learned for crafting an argument that sells. They introduce six ways to find your "big idea" and simple frameworks that will make your book a must-read!

In this session, narrative journalists Melissa Ludtke (author of Locker Room Talk: A Woman’s Struggle to Get Inside) and Mike DeSocio (author of Morally Straight: How the Fight for LGBTQ+ Inclusion Changed the Boy Scouts—and America) will explore the art of blending deeply reported journalism with personal storytelling to reveal the broader societal forces at play. By drawing from their own experiences and in-depth reporting, Melissa and Mike will discuss how to navigate the delicate balance between the intimate and the universal, weaving personal memoir with rigorous reporting to amplify complex issues.

Hannah Beech, senior correspondent for The New York Times and winner of the 2025 Hugo Shong Reporting on Asia Award, will delve into the emotional complexities of narrative journalism in this session on balancing intimacy with objectivity. Drawing on her recent experience reporting on the story of an ex-hitman in the Philippines–in addition to several other recent stories–Beech will examine the transactional nature of journalist/source relationships—how we balance the need to gain trust with the obligation to report truthfully, even when those truths might harm or discomfort our sources. She'll explore the ethical challenges of writing about people whose lives are messy and morally complex and discuss how narrative journalists can remain authentic truth-tellers while also striving for intimacy.