Thomas Curwen interview

Here is a link to a Q & A with Thomas Curwen, author of Waiting for death, alone and unafraid, which was posted on the Nieman Narrative Digest. 

We read this story last spring in Feature Writing, and I took the opportunity to e-mail Curwen with some questions about the story, particularly the ending. This is what he had to say:

"Endings are a great conversation point for your class. On the news side (not the narrative side), I’ve always turned to the last grafs of a story, feeling that this was where the writer put some of his/her best material, out of sight of the lede, and the editor’s dogmatic scrutiny of the requirements for starting any news story.

As for the Shneidman piece, the ending was fairly simple. It’s interesting that you like it; the Nieman editors slightly criticized the ending. What were their words? The pacing faltered or something.

But to answer your question: As you know, I wanted to create a day-in-the-life account, and as I was writing, I realized that by around 7:30 p.m. or so, I didn’t have that much new material or insight. So I closed it there – with what Shneidman usually does in the evening: write.

I especially liked the tone of this ending. It gave him power and didn’t present him as someone passively waiting for Death to come knocking on the door. I also felt that it was strong (for being as succinct as it was), and that it would support a little digression beforehand: the late afternoon image of life on the street where the ash trees grow. I wanted that image to convey what we all realize is true: Life goes on, outside, on the street, as usual, but we never know what takes place inside the homes of our suburbs. I liked that contrast; it struck me as especially poignant.

But not all endings, as you know, are simple. If you had a chance to read the links to Ana’s Story, you’ll realize how tricky that particular ending was. Two years into the reporting, I remember turning to the photographer of the story and wondering when we might call it a day on this story. Ana’s third surgery provided a nice crescendo in the action, but I wanted to try to see if and how these surgeries were changing her life. When she said that she was going to apply for citizenship, I thought I saw light at the end of the tunnel.

The first draft ended the story after the swearing-in ceremony with a brief, where-she-is-now coda. But then, as I went through the process of editing the piece, waiting for its pub date, fact-checking it with the family, I received an email from Ana indicating that she was going back to school. That it was cosmetology school was all the more perfect, and that became the kicker. I was very lucky on that one. I had no idea that the narrative arc  would hit this final note until just weeks before the story ran."

Class reading list

This is the tentative class reading schedule. Feel free to look at stories before you are actually required to.

Week 1
Kennel Trash, by Kelley Benham, St. Petersburg Times

Week 2
Autonomy, by John Barry, St. Petersburg Times
Body Collector in Detroit Answers when Death Calls, by Charlie LeDuff, New York Times

Week 3
Waiting for death, alone and unafraid, by Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times
Morning in Cedar Key, by Michael Kruse, St. Petersburg Times

Week 4
Final Salute, by Jim Sheeler, Rocky Mountain News

Week 5
On her own two wheels, by Michael Kruse, St. Petersburg Times
Who knows where you'll find love?, by S.I. Rosenbaum, St. Petersburg Times
He's the guy, no ifs, ands or buts, by Lane DeGregory, St. Petersburg Times

Week 6
A squeeze of the hand means yes, by Dong Phuong Nguyen and Thomas French, St. Petersburg Times

Week 7
One man's hunt for the truth behind a $1 million bill, by Todd Frankel, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Week 8
Harry Johns lived his tall tales — and told you about them, by Jim Sheeler, Rocky Mountain News
Loyal friend looked out for others, by Matt Tullis, Columbus Dispatch

Week 9
The Power of One, by Gary Smith, Sports Illustrated

Week 10
The Old White Oak of Matthews, by Elizabeth Leland, Charlotte Observer

Week 11
Pearls Before Breakfast, by Gene Weingarten, Washington Post

Week 12
The lives — and remnants — of others, by Inra Verzemnieks, The Oregonian

Week 13
The girl in the window, by Lane DeGregory, St. Petersburg Times

Week 14
Rolling the Dice on a Warm Night, by Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times
There was this frog in a wings joint..., by Michael Kruse, St. Petersburg Times