Articles

"His work is a parable ..."

“His work is a parable …”

—Kurt Streeter in the New York Times, writing about Minneapolis cop and high school football coach Charles Adams
Authenticity and imagery in songwriting, outlaw country style

Authenticity and imagery in songwriting, outlaw country style

Fred introduced me to Jerry Jeff Walker — by that, I mean that Fred sent me home, from the Lone Star State, with two purple CDs, one of which shimmered…
The project pitch that won funding from the International Women's Media Foundation

The project pitch that won funding from the International Women’s Media Foundation

"Don't start from the grant; start from the story," says reporter Ylenia Gostoli
Pitching the IWMF: Focus on undercovered issues, think big and dare to stretch

Pitching the IWMF: Focus on undercovered issues, think big and dare to stretch

For 30 years, the International Women's Media Fund has helped fund women journalists and ambitious projects around the world
Story roots and consequences

Story roots and consequences

Putting an issue in context means reporting its origins and exploring its implications
Reporting beyond the first headlines

Reporting beyond the first headlines

A Washington Post team went back to Kenosha, Wisconsin, and found a story that defied easy narratives and cardboard characters
How a reporter tracked good intentions to problematic consequences in family court

How a reporter tracked good intentions to problematic consequences in family court

An offhand remark by a source caught Stephanie Clifford’s interest. More than a year later, the reporter revealed a harrowing problem previously obscured in the murk of the family court…
#2 rule of pitching: Respect submission protocols

#2 rule of pitching: Respect submission protocols

Following form doesn't have to limit creativity, and shows you are a professional
An intimate narrative from inside a COVID-afflicted nursing home — reported by phone

An intimate narrative from inside a COVID-afflicted nursing home — reported by phone

Katie Engelhart on the reality of nursing homes and the undercovered issue of elder care in America: "We all think we won't end up in a nursing home."
The struggle to define cinematic writing

The struggle to define cinematic writing

Narrative writer, editor and teacher Constance Hale on the elements that make for a true compelling story, with a sampling of writing she loves