Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)

by Jack R. Hart

ground rules are: • On the Record: You can use an accurate version of the conversation without restriction. • On Background: You can use the information for developing your story, but you can’t attribute it to your source, even if you cloak the source’s identity. If you want to publish the information, you must get it on the record from another source, and you must publish with attribution to that source. • Not for Attribution: You can use the information, but any attribution must be to a mutually agreeable cloaked source. For example, if you plan to attribute a quotation to a “source close to the president,” your source must sign off on that description. • Off the Record: You can’t use the information unless you get it on the record from another source and publish with full, uncloaked attribution to that source.