Be responsible in exercising rights to public information

A divorce is finalized, but it is not recorded in the newspaper until four months later. Someone appears in court for a domestic assault, but...

All hail the hard-news lead

We all love a good yarn, a tale told with colorful detail and interesting characters who face challenges and change over time. For years, both...

Keep eye out for 11th-hour election volleys

Election Day is only weeks away. The hyper-partisanship of races at all levels – from local to state to federal – demands that editors...

Six essential steps to trend reporting

A major goal of news reporting is to keep readers abridged of things, so it makes sense that uncovering and understanding trends should be...

Pandemic no excuse for lazy reporting

Editors and reporters are facing some of their biggest challenges in gathering news during the pandemic. Access to everyday sources is increasingly...

Scrutinize letters during election season

Campaigns are in full swing as Election Day nears. Editors should pay extra attention to letters that give a thumbs up or thumbs down...

The ‘blue shirt’ won. Is that the best we can do?

Local names and faces are the lifeblood of community newspaper content. There’s no better way to spotlight your readers than through photos. After all, “a...
Jim Stasiowski, writing coach

Staying a step ahead of your editors

Jim Stasiowski Writing Writing coach Jim Stasiowski welcomes your questions or comments. Call him at (775) 354-2872 or write to: 2499 Ivory Ann Drive Sparks, Nev. 89436.A recent enjoyable email...

Moving from routine to highly relevant: How to improve meeting coverage

This column is aimed at every single journalist working anywhere in the world now and in the future.
Jim Stasiowski, writing coach

About three deaths in August

Jim Stasiowski Writing Writing coach Jim Stasiowski welcomes your questions or comments. Call him at (775) 354-2872 or write to: 2499 Ivory Ann Drive Sparks, Nev. 89436.Jerry Lewis made me laugh, especially when I was...