Articles

Read not just for the what of the story, but for the how of the writing

Read not just for the what of the story, but for the how of the writing

By Jacqui BanaszynskiImagine the directive in the image above is not an end game, but a prompt. What if you added something more descriptive? Read more broadly. Read more thoughtfully.…
Sally Jenkins on her intimate interview with Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert

Sally Jenkins on her intimate interview with Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert

The Washington Post sports columnist used a career of trust and "sincere curiosity" to talk to the tennis greats about rivalry, cancer and friendship
Honor due reporter, editor and Nieman curator Robert H. Giles, 1933-2023

Honor due reporter, editor and Nieman curator Robert H. Giles, 1933-2023

By Jacqui BanaszynskiMy heart goes out, along with favorite story moments, to all who knew, worked with and loved Bob Giles. It also goes out to those of you who…
J-school beyond the textbook

J-school beyond the textbook

By Jacqui BanaszynskiAccording to my pre-Wordle morning scans of social media in recent days, it’s back-to-school time. That seems awfully early to me (What happened to waiting until after Labor…
A profile of rival athletic greats becomes an exploration of a great friendship

A profile of rival athletic greats becomes an exploration of a great friendship

Washington Post sports columnist Sally Jenkins aces an off-court story about Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, competition, cancer, battles and bonds
Helping each other navigate obscure records and obdurate sources

Helping each other navigate obscure records and obdurate sources

By Jacqui BanaszynskiAt the many writing workshops I lead, the primary struggles reporters raise involve, duh, writing. But when six health-reporting fellows gathered recently, the challenges they brought to the…
Back-seat story magic

Back-seat story magic

By Jacqui BanaszynskiReporter friends after swap tales about the stories and tips they picked up from cabbies when they travel on assignments. That’s seldom been successful for me. First, I’m…
The (should-be-easy) interview a veteran interviewer couldn't bring himself to do

The (should-be-easy) interview a veteran interviewer couldn’t bring himself to do

A reporter sat with people in "the worst moments of their lives" but froze when it came time to talk to a famous writer
"Are you writing this down?"

“Are you writing this down?”

By Polly Basore WenzlPicture a sandy-haired Dennis the Menace, 11 years old.He wandered into News Connect, the Wichita Journalism Collaborative’s pop-up newsroom, in the downtown library on a recent day.Our…
Making prison stories relevant and relatable

Making prison stories relevant and relatable

By Jacqui BanaszynskiPrison stories are a special challenge for journalists. The gold standards of journalism are relevance and relatability. But it can be hard for many readers and listeners, if…