How many leads can you think of that focus on smell? We admire the first seven paragraphs of this piece. They’re evocative, authoritative and efficient. Kiernan told an audience at the 2003 Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism that she did … Read more
In the series of which this piece is a part, the Times used narrative and insightful reporting to uncover the often hidden ways that race is “lived” in America. Egan writes about two Washington State politicians—Gary Locke, a Chinese-American, and … Read more
This is a long-term narrative that shows the asymmetrical courses taken by former business partners—one black, one white—after selling their company. The story traces not just the defining moments of their careers but also the points at which race became … Read more
We like Montgomery’s clear structuring of this story and his skillful transitions. He shapes the reader’s sequential experience in the first two sections handily and ends the second section with an exposition of the piece’s issue or theme. He ends … Read more
Kruse has a knack for infusing even his more newsy stories with a non-official, folksy voice. He often achieves a friendly yet authoritative tone. In this piece, his tone is a mix of muted drama, compassion and detachment. It’s an … Read more
Among the things that strike us in this story are the paradoxes Schultz skillfully points to: Racism helped send Green wrongfully to prison; in prison he transformed himself; out of prison he’s better able to cope with the biases he … Read more
Hull follows a group of Mexican women who journey north to la tortilla grande, as they call the U.S., and shuck blue crabs as "guest workers" on the North Carolina coast. The series’ plot, scenes and characters unfold in the … Read more
Stuart Warner, an editor and writing coach at The Plain Dealer, wrote to us: "’Cold Blooded Liar’ is not a pure narrative. It was written by our investigative reporter and I edited it. We compromised, using some traditional investigative writing … Read more
This investigative-narrative series follows the story of James Yee, a Muslim chaplain at Guantanamo who was charged with espionage. It’s a well-written and well-structured piece, an illuminating account with a clear narrative arc, and a good model for ambitious reconstructions. Read more
We admired this piece in part for the way Fassihi’s use of the first person opened up her writing: She didn’t try to squeeze her insights within the more rigid conventions of standard reporting. The transparency of the piece, then—her … Read more
