Author

Story seeds from the garden

Story seeds from the garden

By Jacqui BanaszynskiEnjoy an end-of-summer delight, courtesy of Ashley Lodato, a columnist for the Methow Valley News in the far north Cascades of Washington state. Lodato’s writing has caught our…
September 6, 2023
A writer's education, from pen pals to bylines

A writer’s education, from pen pals to bylines

By Jacqui BanaszynskiOne of the back-to-school things I looked forward to in grade school was the Weekly Reader, a tab-sized newspaper that was handed out in class. I suppose it…
August 29, 2023
How a 9/11 narrative guided a gun violence narrative 22 years later

How a 9/11 narrative guided a gun violence narrative 22 years later

By Talia Richman Before our first meeting about how to tackle a tick-tock of the mass shooting at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas, this spring, Kelley Benham French sent…
August 25, 2023
A meditation on violence, grief and healing in Uvalde, Texas

A meditation on violence, grief and healing in Uvalde, Texas

By Trevor PyleWhen a former student killed 19 students and two teachers in a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school last year, the ache spread worldwide. One who felt the pain keenly…
August 24, 2023
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.…
August 22, 2023
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
August 18, 2023
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…
August 17, 2023
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…
August 17, 2023
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
August 10, 2023
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…
August 8, 2023