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...

Deadline? What deadline? My story is already filed!

Doesn’t every journalist want to wrap up the workday and be home with their kids or their...

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...

Don’t let pursuit of ‘shiny things’ diminish reporting

All journalists can look back decades or even just a few months to see examples of the “shiny things” that distract us from our...

Look in a mirror to find your best editor

In an era of constant cutbacks, it can be difficult for newspaper reporters to get good editing. Many experienced editors have fled or been forced...

Election season: Keep coverage local, start early

Election season is underway. Many would say the cycle never ends. No sooner are votes tallied than strategists eye the next election. Make no...

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...

Take steps now to report on 2024 local government budgets

We’re more than halfway into 2023, and many local governments are well involved in exploring 2024 budgets. Are your newsrooms aware of the process?...

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...

How a reporter can avoid being laid off

Bart Pfankuch Better Writing with Bart Bart Pfankuch, an investigative reporter for South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit public-service news agency online at sdnewswatch.org, will offer...