Story Craft

A master of sports journalism tackles a new writing challenge: narrative on Facebook

A master of sports journalism tackles a new writing challenge: narrative on Facebook

Dave Kindred never intended to take on this project. Truth is, he didn’t even think of the Facebook posts he’s been writing as a project.But last spring, the walls began…
Challenges of sourcing, safety and reporting for narrative in China

Challenges of sourcing, safety and reporting for narrative in China

By her own admission, New York Times reporter Sui-Lee Wee doesn’t often break news out of China; her beat coverage usually follows the reporting of multiple Chinese articles about the…
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…
How a viral tweet led to a sensitive story on family, race and America

How a viral tweet led to a sensitive story on family, race and America

It was the kind of tweet a lot of people would thumb past with no more than a quick “like.” But when Jaweed Kaleem read about a one-woman Black Lives…
Writing rituals: Superstition or productivity?

Writing rituals: Superstition or productivity?

I’d heard the story many times before, but I still couldn’t believe it:Gay Talese pinned his manuscript pages to the wall of his office. He then walked across the room to…
What crisis reporting can teach about better sports reporting

What crisis reporting can teach about better sports reporting

Most 20-something sports journalists don’t find themselves covering something as raw and emotional as the aftermath of one of the deadliest natural disasters in American history. But here was Benjamin Hochman, sitting in the lobby of the Doubletree hotel in Dallas with…
The challenge of precision: As descriptors evolve, the press must be clear

The challenge of precision: As descriptors evolve, the press must be clear

 The U.S. Supreme Court this week (June 17, 2020) ruled that the Civil Rights act of 1964  prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, which the majority said…
Building writing muscles — a postcard a day

Building writing muscles — a postcard a day

With writing, as with most things, you get better with practice. Just ask an athlete. Or a sports reporter.Derrick Goold, baseball writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, guesses that he…
A Writer's Survival Guide: Tips for defying distraction

A Writer’s Survival Guide: Tips for defying distraction

The first year I had to work from home, it was dictated by a crisis.During a weekend visit with me and my family, my mother contracted bacterial meningitis and nearly…
Deadline writing when the world is in chaos, your house is imploding and kids are home from school

Deadline writing when the world is in chaos, your house is imploding and kids are home from school

EDITOR’S NOTE: This essay first appeared in The Cabin, a center for writers in Idaho. It is used with permission. Also, read Kim Cross’s Writer’s Survival Guide: Tips for defying…