Abstract
Being a good ethnographer means, amongst other things, not forgetting the future
reader during the writing process. This article discusses one possible approach for
crafting reader-friendly ethnographies. I review basic strategies for creating stringent
and straightforward texts, drawing on the journalistic canon of Reportage writing, and
sketch how I personally apply or modify these techniques when composing an eth-
nography. I address elements such as clear formulation, coherent argumentation, ad-
equate pars pro toto scenes, vivid language, and the difficult terrain of symbols and
metaphors. I also suggest steps for reworking the first draft of the text. I conclude by
arguing that cultivating and cherishing a recipient-friendly communication style is vital
for the public visibility of cultural and social anthropology.
Menzfeld, Mira