Suspense in writing isn't just, who killed major mustard in the library. It's really just like, that's an interesting question. What's the answer? Im gaing to keep reading. framing those questions, i think, is the key to starting a good piece. And interviewing too. You know, ud, it took me a long time to realize that if i sounded dumber, the interviews would be better.
Michael Pollan is a contributing writer for New York Times Magazine, the host of Netflix's How to Change Your Mind, and the author of nine books. The latest is This Is Your Mind On Plants.
“I have found myself at two distinct points in my history having this transition from being the journalist, learning at the feet of these people, to becoming an advocate. And it’s an awkward role for a journalist, but at a certain point it would be kind of false to pretend you didn't have points of view, that there weren't directions in which you think the world should go. And the great thing about doing narrative nonfiction is that editors cut you a fair amount of slack at the end of a 10,000–word piece to say what you think.”
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