Articles

Respecting the tortured voice and troubled choices of the mentally ill

Respecting the tortured voice and troubled choices of the mentally ill

Ellen Barry of The New York Times unspooled the heartbreaking consequences of no-great-choices for those in the mental health system
So many newsletters: Reading to learn to write to be read

So many newsletters: Reading to learn to write to be read

The editor reflects on newsletters as a writing form and what they might teach us about various ways to engage readers
A 3,000-word story, 70 email questions ~ and a grateful writer

A 3,000-word story, 70 email questions ~ and a grateful writer

A freelancer praises the meticulous process of fact-checkers
Circling your way to a story

Circling your way to a story

The editor muses on how letting your mind wander can sometimes lead to more creative insights and writing
A New York Times profile of a Ukranian sniper confronts the "myth of a 'good kill'"

A New York Times profile of a Ukranian sniper confronts the “myth of a ‘good kill'”

Novelist and Vietnam veteran Karl Marlantes on the moral dilemma revealed in a story by reporter and Afghanistan veteran Thomas Gibbons-Neff
A first-time war correspondent finds human stories in a devastated Ukraine

A first-time war correspondent finds human stories in a devastated Ukraine

Washington Post reporter Lizzie Johnson volunteered for a Christmas-month rotation in Ukraine, where she filed intimate narratives as well as news
Confessions of a flawed proofreader

Confessions of a flawed proofreader

The editor corrects and apologizes for a fact error, and muses on the challenges of seeing glitches in our own writing
Two journalists talk to the bots — who talk back — about the pros and pitfalls of AI

Two journalists talk to the bots — who talk back — about the pros and pitfalls of AI

"Once we accept that AI is flawed, we can use it responsibly, even relish in what it has to offer." ~ journalism professor Casey Frechette
Story treats from cookie jars

Story treats from cookie jars

The editor, inspired by a collection of vintage cookie jars at a country diner, muses on the trove of stories found by revisiting history.
Analytics aren't the only measure

Analytics aren’t the only measure

A retired journalist revisits letters sent by readers early in her career, and is reminded that stories touch people in ways we never know