As I Please: The 1970s Edition
The inaugural column is meant to be short versions of what magazine editors used to call “brights”—upbeat, inspiring, or humorous articles. Read more
Journalism
A Guide to Nonfiction Writing: 41 Advanced Tips
Follow these tips. They may not make you the second coming of Tom Wolfe or Joan Didion, but they will make you a more competent and professional writer. Read more
What Everybody Gets Wrong About Nancy Pelosi (Review #2)
Molly Ball’s biography of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi explores the pride the San Francisco Democrat takes in her profession and achievements without reckoning with its downsides. Read more
Interviewing the Little People is Underrated
Many journalists act as if access to the Great Man or Woman is everything. This is a mistake. Reporters can write great stuff by talking with ordinary people. Just ask Gay Talese, who wrote one of the most celebrated articles in American history. Read more
A Modest Proposal to Renew the Nonfiction World
The nonfiction world has become stale and tired; decadent you might say. Here is a modest proposal to reinvigorate and renew it. Read more
How to Write about a Trump-like Leader
Writing about a divisive political leader like former President Trump is possible. Witness David Brinkley’s under-recognized essay on the infamous labor leader Jimmy Hoffa. Read more
How to Develop a Genius Writing Skill: Using Objects as Symbols
The TV show “Better Call Saul” uses a powerful literary technique: presenting objects as not only things in themselves but also as symbols. While rarely discussed, this novelistic device can make your writing stand out. Read more
Reversing Roe v. Wade Would Be More Popular than You Think
Any fair-minded parsing of poll results and statistics shows support for overturning Roe v. Wade would be a lot more popular than media outlets would have us believe. Read more
For Writer’s Block, Take Two Treatments
The root of writer’s block is organizational rather than romantic. Some writers imagine themselves as uniquely tortured souls, like Prometheus chained to a rock while an eagle devoured his liver every day. The reality is, they are poor administrators. They lack a reliable technique to produce good first drafts. Read more
Did Ronan Farrow Miss Out on Taking Down NBC News?
Mr. Farrow shone a light into a dark corner of a household American institution, NBC News, which, by all accounts, had a deplorable workplace culture where young women were targeted sexually. His fortitude is to his eternal credit. If only he had shown more fairness toward his former employer, the light might still be on it. Read more
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