David Sedaris’s Tips for Researching Stories

Nonfiction writing can often feel like detective work—whether you’re writing a new story or working on an essay collection for the first time, a significant part of the writing process is gathering information that you can use in your next story or a new book.

Humorist David Sedaris is a New York Times–bestselling author and one of America’s preeminent humor writers. He’s been published everywhere from the New Yorker to Esquire and read his short stories and personal essays live on National Public Radio (NPR), This American Life, and elsewhere. Sedaris’s writing deals with all kinds of topics, from family stories and life events to the human condition combined with incisive social critiques. Most of Sedaris’s essays are very intimate, dealing in first person with his personal life and his own family relationships. He’s considered a master of satire and sardonic wit.

In short, he’s well-practiced in the art of gathering info and using it in his essays—here are a few of his tips to help you become a better writer.

1. 1. Take great notes. Your memory isn’t perfect—so getting in the habit of being an observant writer and writing everything down will help you keep track of all of your story inspiration. Keeping a diary where you write down things that happen to you, things you find funny or interesting, dialogue you overhear and love, and character traits, will help you see the world differently. Keeping a dream journal will train you to remember more and more of your dreams. Keeping a gratitude journal and, each day, writing down what you are grateful for, will train you to look for things to be thankful for. Keeping a record of your surroundings will open you to moments that could become stories and the parts of your world that belong in your writing.
2. 2. Meet a variety of people. When was the last time you asked someone for directions? Forcing yourself to rely on other people is a great way to create built-in encounters with strangers. David, for example, has never learned to drive a car. As such, public buses, Ubers, planes, and trains are all opportunities for meetings that can lead to diary entries and essays. These are situations that you don’t choose or orchestrate, but they can lead to a chance connection that you might end up writing about. These fortuitous interactions are part of what makes life worth living for David.
3. 3. Be present in the moment. Once you’re in the habit of writing everything down, you might be tempted to whip out your notebook in the middle of a particularly juicy conversation. But resist the urge. “You don’t want to end it,” David says (of “the moment” in question). “I was in London and I was in a taxidermy shop. And the owner of the shop showed me these owls that he had for sale. And then he showed me a pygmy skeleton. And then he showed me an amputated arm. And then he showed me a girl’s head. So he had some human things that were for sale. And by that time my life really felt like a story. But I knew that if I pulled out my notebook, everything would have ended.” Instead of ending the moment, let a situation play out naturally instead of drawing attention to it by taking notes as it’s happening. People might feel self-conscious if they see your notebook, or, even worse, they’ll become aware of the way they’re being observed by you. That will alter or shut down what might have happened without the notebook. You can always jot down notes once the moment is over.

Another great way to become a better writer is to read the work of good writers. Here are a few works from David Sedaris that can help bring your writing to the next level:

1. 1. Stump the Host (1993): a play that David wrote with his sister Amy under the name The Talent Family, performed at La MaMa playhouse in New York City.
2. 2. Barrel Fever (1994): David’s first time publishing a collection of stories and essays, which includes “Santaland Diaries.”
3. 3. Naked (1997): David’s first immediate bestseller, Naked is an essay collection addressing David’s upbringing, his mother’s death, his college years, and the time he spent hitchhiking as a young adult.
4. 4. Holidays on Ice (1997): a collection of Christmas-themed essays.
5. 5. Incident at Cobbler’s Knob (1997): another play that David wrote with his sister Amy as The Talent Family
6. 6. “Santaland Diaries” (1998): a short story about David’s experiences working as a department-store elf that was first read on This American Life with Ira Glass.
7. 7. Me Talk Pretty One Day (2000): This bestselling collection won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. The collection is divided into two parts: the first including essays about his childhood in Raleigh, North Carolina, and his time living in the United States, and the second composed of essays about his move to Normandy, France, with his boyfriend, Hugh.
8. 8. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (2004): This collection of essays centers around David’s family story, including his mom and dad. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album.
9. 9. When You Are Engulfed in Flames (2008): a collection of essays about a wide variety of topics.
10. 10. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary (2010): a book of modern-day fables with animals for characters, illustrated by Ian Falconer.
11. 11. Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls (2013): a book of narrative essays that debuted in the number one spot on the bestseller list.
12. 12. Theft by Finding: Diaries (1977–2002) (2017): an edited compilation of David’s diary entries.
13. 13. Calypso (2018): David’s new book, a bestseller.

Whether you're just starting to put pen to paper or dream of being published, writing demands time, effort, and commitment to the craft. In award-winning essayist and humorist David Sedaris's MasterClass, learn how to sharpen your powers of observation, how to translate what you see, hear, and experience in the real world into memorable stories, and how to grow as a writer.

Want to become a better writer? The MasterClass Annual Membership provides exclusive video lessons on storytelling, character development, and the path to publication, all taught by literary masters, including David Sedaris, Malcolm Gladwell, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, Judy Blume, Dan Brown, and more.