I just made a bunch of irritated noises and none of them were words. But you would get the drift if you heard them.
10.03.2026 11:57 —
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Wait...
Did I just read a thread in which I read two respected, well-published journalists discussed people (including their own moms) telling them to write letters to the editor?
From the perspective of an (old) editor, this feels surreal.
10.03.2026 11:53 —
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(And know that it took everything in me to not write “their little essay project.”)
08.03.2026 15:03 —
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What you two do is extremely important. You keep people informed on issues that everyone needs to know. And I do mean everyone.
08.03.2026 15:02 —
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Which brings me back to ignore them. Go be the best disability news reporter you can be and let them have their essay project.
08.03.2026 14:59 —
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Pfft. Ignore them. They can call themselves whatever they want, but the facts remain the facts and you all have done disability news sections, are doing disability news sections, and will do disability news sections.
08.03.2026 14:58 —
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(Similar to how I often have to explain to people, no, I do not do what either of you do. I don’t focus on disability. Hell, I barely write or report. I focus on teaching/training/expanding accessibility in journalism/news.)
08.03.2026 14:51 —
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It’s apparently not what either of you do. It’s personal essay stories by disabled writers, not news about disability policy or issues. So there’s that.
08.03.2026 14:48 —
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Data journalists are the best journalists. You get hundreds of us packed into one space at one time and we feel perfectly comfortable to be our true weird selves…
08.03.2026 10:55 —
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On that note, I will miss you all, my fellow #NICAR nerds. Except you Boston #NICAR nerds. We have coffee dates ahead of us.
07.03.2026 23:00 —
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I’m so tired, but #NICAR is my absolute favorite journalism conference. At no other journalism conference would everyone cheer for a spreadsheet about backyard chickens — or a spreadsheet of any kind. These are my people.
07.03.2026 22:56 —
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…even better, to donate to the parent org, @equalaccesspublicmedia.org…
07.03.2026 14:47 —
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Maybe one those people will go on to read something else.
07.03.2026 14:42 —
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100 reposts drove 700+ reads yesterday of an article in a magazine intended for journalists about accessibility. *shrug*
07.03.2026 14:40 —
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Most people also didn't read the article which argues for all the things you already do: structure your article to reduce reader fatigue; write using techniques to keep readers engaged; etc.. Not a single word of the opinion argues to shorten long-form or not to write long-form.
07.03.2026 10:50 —
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And @bethmccowen.bsky.social looked at a place offering help for journalists experiencing trauma from the work they do.
06.03.2026 21:26 —
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But I have to say, my favorite from the March edition was getting this first-person account of what it’s like using these newsletter platforms from Dominick Petrillo, a blind sports writer
06.03.2026 21:28 —
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But I have to say, my favorite from the March edition was getting this first-person account of what it’s like using these newsletter platforms from Dominick Petrillo, a blind sports writer
06.03.2026 21:28 —
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And @bethmccowen.bsky.social looked at a place offering help for journalists experiencing trauma from the work they do.
06.03.2026 21:26 —
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This piece was such a well thought out look at accountability journalism and going beyond quoting politicians and lawmakers.
06.03.2026 21:25 —
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I was so deep in servers got attacked bubble plus conference bubble yesterday that I didn't hear about Kristi Noem until about 8 p.m. last night.
So... how are we all feeling this morning? Do we all need time to process our feelings?
06.03.2026 12:22 —
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This is my favorite issue so far.
05.03.2026 18:36 —
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Home - The Word
March 2026: NICAR 2026 takes on Indianapolis, AI, accountability, and accessibility. Plus trauma in journalism, starting a newsletter while disabled; getting more people to read your long-form pieces ...
We made it! Live from #NICAR26...
Plus:
• trauma in journalism
• starting a newsletter as a disabled journalist
• going beyond quotes in articles
• and how to get people to read to the end of your long-form piece
the-word.news
05.03.2026 17:59 —
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