Short Takes From majesty to mystery in one graf A Bloomberg Businessweek lede weaves techniques of travel writing and suspense novels to set up a tale of corporate mismanagement September 6, 2024 Liz Seegert A 3,000-word story, 70 email questions ~ and a grateful writer A freelancer praises the meticulous process of fact-checkers March 14, 2024 Jyoti Madhusoodanan 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 February 8, 2024 Laurie Hertzel Goldilocks interviews: Too little, too much and just right By Jacqui BanaszynskiMy fandom of American TV police/crime procedurals goes back to sharing Agatha Christie mysteries with my mother, then watching “Perry Mason” on a not-very-sharp black-and-white TV. I loved… October 13, 2023 Jacqui Banaszynski How to write boring wonk By Jacqui BanaszynskiA message popped up on my Facebook message box that captured, in short form, a not-infrequent lament I hear from reporters who long to stretch into deeper, more… September 19, 2023 Jacqui Banaszynski A failed lunar landing and a successful marriage Alex Traub's straightforward obit of astronaut wife Marilyn Lovell captures history, character and romance through perfectly selected details September 13, 2023 Jacqui Banaszynski 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 Jacqui Banaszynski Who says political writing has to be boring? By Jacqui BanaszynskiI sat down to watch the State of the Union address this week out of a sense of obligation and, to be honest, a somewhat dark curiosity. How… February 10, 2023 Jacqui Banaszynski Punning the way to a point A note from a professional friend landed in my inbox a few days ago, with this quick header:“… the best lede I’ve ever read.”So I clicked. (Wouldn’t you?) It took… August 5, 2022 Jacqui Banaszynski When writing sparks writing Earlier this month, we posted a short “One Great Moment” piece on a dazzling line of dialog from the new-this-season Netflix movie “A Boy Called Christmas.” Dame Maggie Smith is… January 28, 2022 Jacqui Banaszynski 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 23 Next
