Leah F. Casssrola Editor's note Literary journalism is journalism at its finest. You'll find that the material inside flows like short stories rather than traditional journalism stories. The reason is that the news stories have had fiction writing techniques applied to journalistic fact. Literary journalists don't have it easy. Unlike fiction writers, they can't conjure up a character, scene or quote to aid a story.
Literary journalists can only use factual material to tell a story.
And it's that challenge which makes this type of writing extra tough. In the profession of journalism, becoming a full fledged, respected literary journalist is considered the apex of a journalist's career. So, to write journalism with a literary touch is to master both the art of reporting and of writing. The essence of journalistic writing is based upon a belief that good writing and good journalism changes people's lives. A good journalist is dedicated to working for the public so, in turn, people can make informed decisions about their lives and the world around them.