The New Yorker can be something of a mixed bag. On one hand it presents one of the last and best resources for long form journalism, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and in some instances short stories. On the other, it can be pedantic, pompous, and come across as if they are constantly trying to demonstrate how intellectually evolved they are. Perhaps these traits are what have maintained the magazine, though hard to say.

at any rate, in the last issue (January 14, 2013) they have a somewhat dense, but otherwise excellent essay by John McPhee on the demands, challenges, and methods of structure when it comes to narrative nonfiction writing. If you have a subscription to the magazine you can access it here: http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2013-01-14#folio=046. I would say too that it is worth buying the article (if they do that, not sure) as the suggestions, descriptions, and DIY-ness of what he writes is really pretty informative and worth the effort.

I also found it interesting because he is giving something of an MFA class in the pages of the New Yorker and I believe this is at least the second such essay he has published in the magazine (there may be more, not sure). I wonder if reading such material and being published could earn one an honorary or equivalency MFA?