Ethnographic writing must do more than describe; it must persuade through compelling academic arguments grounded in ethnographic material. We distinguish between implicit and explicit argumentation, and in the case of the latter, focus on three essential components: claims, evidence, and warrants. We show how ethnographic texts can weave together personal narratives and underlying structures without relying on heavy-handed citation, while remaining theoretically informed. While academic writing requires clarity and explicit argument, we suggest that form can be played with—as long as the basics of argument are in place.