Two children were killed and two injured in a hit-and-run accident. This series tells, in long form, the story of two women—the mother of the children and the young woman who hit them—and the defense lawyer who took the case … Read more
This is a real story, structurally speaking: The main character’s problem is clear from the outset, and we are engaged by the central question of whether he will succeed. Secondary dramatic threads—the missing mother, the dissatisfied girlfriend—enrich the narrative and … Read more
This is a story about a high school girl, Michelle Dowdy, who auditioned for "Hairspray" on a whim and got a part as the understudy to the lead. When DeGregory’s colleague Kelley Benham emailed us the series, she wrote, "It’s … Read more
We appreciated the good writing in this piece, the evocative detail garnered through interview. It’s a wonderful example of how narrative techniques can flesh out a story that’s been reported, until then, largely as breaking news. Among the effective detail … Read more
This story gives background on the acquittal of Sami Al-Arian of terrorism charges. In 930 words, Gezari provides an intimate sense of his family, some history of his marriage and a thematic conclusion about American justice. Read “For … Read more
This piece is full of French’s signature muscular approach to theme and idea. He’s eager to frame a story, provide his "take." His gutsiness makes him an authoritative and compelling guide. He establishes themes at the outset. His themes in … Read more
This is an efficient, clearly recounted story about the rescue of a fishing boat that got caught in Hurricane Katrina. The structure is coherent and divided well into its six sections. We wondered if the tale’s suspense might have been … Read more
In this short piece, Benham must do justice to the bizarreness of the event and its details but not belittle the little girl’s fear and injury. We like the details that Benham provides, and the language she uses to do … Read more
This is a lovely series. We like the precision of the writing, the sensible yet sensitive attention to the protagonist’s complicated immigrant life. Persaud writes respectfully and with poise, never over-dramatizing or caricaturing. She weaves into the tale useful and … Read more
French uses the second person here to describe a reporting experience he had in Uzbekistan. This is a “how I got the story” story, in which the narrative consists mainly of the process of reporting. It seems clear that French … Read more
