Creative writing
Why Writers Should “Read” This Election Like a Literary Novel
It’s an object lesson in narrative structure
As a teacher of creative writing and the author of four novels, I find it impossible to watch the unfolding spectacle of America’s 2020 presidential election without marveling at its story structure. Anyone who wants to understand why well-crafted fiction casts such a powerful spell over readers has only to observe the grip that this year’s U.S. electoral politics has on citizens and spectators around the globe.
The story of this election is writing itself with verve and vengeance that few novelists could muster. Thanks to Donald Trump’s unique grandiosity, it can feel more like living satire than political drama, but the exaggerated quality of this American narrative is precisely what makes it an ideal master class for fiction writers.
The story elements blink so large and bright that it’s impossible to miss them:
