Personal Essays

A journalist’s journey into her family story leads to a history of American pie

Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle baked a humble dessert into a big idea

By Dustin Renwick • November 26, 2021

Dustin Renwick took on the McArdle family recipe for pumpkin pie, but substituted brown sugar for granulated. He made the crust from scratch, using a favorite cookbook.

Two Native American journalists talk turkey about Thanksgiving

University of Montana journalist Jason Begay, of the Navajo Nation, talks to Washington Post journalist Dana Hedgpeth, of the Haliwa-Saponi tribe, about living with and correcting history

By Jason Begay • November 24, 2021

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A profile of one family divided by vaccine politics reflects the divide of a nation

By Chip Scanlan

November 23, 2021

Peter Jamison of The Washington Post immerses into the emotional chasm of a family struggling with divergent views and a sudden death

Why's This So Good?

Nerding out on big weather, a big lake and and a little Gordon Lightfoot

By Jacqui Banaszynski

November 19, 2021

An editor's questions led data reporter Greta Kaul of MinnPost to explore new territory in a much-covered event

From the Editor

The spiraling nature of news

By Jacqui Banaszynski

November 17, 2021

Connecting the dots between current news, past events and future implications can help readers understand context and significance

Notable Narratives

Editing advice from the world’s best story critic: a child

By Jyoti Madhusoodanan

November 16, 2021

A writer's 4-year-old offers a lesson in the essentials of effective narrative

One Great Moment

“It smelled like margarine and white bread, marriage and cramped flats.”

By Jacqui Banaszynski

November 12, 2021

Douglas Stuart, from his novel, "Shuggie Bain"

From the Editor

Stumbling into a social media community

By Jacqui Banaszynski

November 11, 2021

A local BuyNothing website becomes a sense of neighborhood connection

Story Craft

#7 rule of pitching: Prove your skills and your passion

By Jacqui Banaszynski

November 10, 2021

Pitching a story you want to pursue is not the time to hide your light under that proverbial bushel — or to sell what you can't deliver

Story Annotations

Immersing into the lives of children damaged by gun violence, and laws that don’t stop it

By Chip Scanlan

November 5, 2021

John Woodrow Cox of The Washington Post talks to kids like an adult, sits on their bedroom floors, and doesn't push until they're OK with him

One Great Moment

“That’s what writing is, after all the nonsense…”

By Jacqui Banaszynski

November 4, 2021

Ocean Vuong in his novel, "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous"

Personal Essays

50 shades of nuance in a polarized world

By Shoba Narayan

November 3, 2021

An essayist ponders when to write black-and-white polemics that attract clicks, and when to be more considered

Story Craft

Nut grafs: Triptych III ~ Sex, Springsteen and late-night rambles

By Jacqui Banaszynski

October 29, 2021

Quick and creative musings on the hunt for a story's center

Story Craft

Nut grafs: Triptych II ~ Pointed questions, including WHOGAS?

By Jacqui Banaszynski

October 28, 2021

More pro tips on teaching, coaching and editing the nut of a story