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Matthew Shaer

@matthewshaer.bsky.social

Contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine, Emerson Fellow at New America, host of the Origin Stories podcast. Red Sox fan. Please God don't ask me about the "progress" on my "book"

14 Posts1512 Follower700 Folgt
Clint Smith@clintsmithiii.bsky.social · 7mo ago

In December, I traveled to Montgomery to visit the Legacy Museum, which traces the story of Black America from slavery to Jim Crow to mass incarceration. I wanted to understand how the museum & its affiliated sites were operating in a moment where so much of the history they present is under attack.

The Power of Private Museums

The Equal Justice Initiative’s historical sites in Montgomery, Alabama, show what’s possible when history isn’t subject to federal funding cuts or executive orders.

theatlantic.com

Matthew Shaer@matthewshaer.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Some of the greatest writing advice every dispensed: “If a story is not about the hearer he will not listen. And here I make a rule — a great and lasting story is about everyone or it will not last.”

Garrett M. Graff@vermontgmg.bsky.social · 7mo ago

My new @wired.com essay about how Trump's coup in Venezuela follows two particularly troubling patterns — Our long, poor history of interventions in Latin America, and Trump's uniquely crazy lack of planning: setshttps://www.wired.com/story/3-keys-understanding-trumps-retro-coup-in-venezuela/

Ana Marie Cox@anamariecox.com · 7mo ago

I'm putting together a piece about how much investigative journalism actually costs. If you are an investigative journalist and you're willing to share (not for attribution) what you make and how many hours (years!) you put in, my DMs are open. Estimates fine, just want to get a sense of it.

Megan Greenwell@greenwell.bsky.social · 7mo ago

@charleylocke.bsky.social and I designed a class to help freelancers make more money from more sources, and have more fun doing it. Not just how to pitch, but how to find lucrative work, how to build community, how to manage your money. We’d love it you joined us. flyingsolofreelancing.com

Week 1: Subject → Pitch → Assignment So you have a compelling idea for a story. How do you figure out the right way in? How much unpaid time should you spend pre-reporting before you pitch? We'll talk about how to lay out a concise, irresistible pitch email, when and how to follow up, and how to tailor your pitch for different publications. You'll learn how to strategically and confidently reach out to editors, and how to build one assignment into an ongoing relationship. Week 2: Work That Pays the Bills Pitching and writing ambitious, time-consuming journalism requires supplementing your income with other steady work. That could mean copywriting, consulting, a paid newsletter, academic editing, sponsored content, research, teaching, case studies, and/or production (all of which we've done). We'll talk about how to find work that subsidizes your journalism but doesn't take up all your time, how to balance your priorities, and the nitty-gritty of negotiating with different types of clients.Week 3: The Editors Don't take our word for it re: what makes a great pitch. We'll host a panel of editors from major publications who are hungry for new ideas. You'll have the chance to ask them about how to structure your pitches, how much reporting to include, and what to leave out. You can even run the seed of a pitch by them to get feedback on what they'd want to know before assigning the story. We'll definitely include editors from magazines that pay freelancers $2 a word and up, but we'll also leave space to invite editors you want to hear from. Week 4: Building Community and Practice Freelancing means sacrificing built-in colleague relationships that happen in a newsroom. That means you have to (and get to) build those relationships yourself. We'll delve into how to develop community with other freelancers, both online and in-person, and how to rely on your colleagues for accountability, editorial advice, and support. We'll also cover some ways to think about "networking" as building relationships with people who you'd like to work with and whose work you enjoy. (And no, you don't need to live in NYC to do it!) We'll also talk about how to develop a consistent writing practice to improve your skills outside of formal assignments.Week 5: $$$ Let's take the stress out of managing your money. We'll go into detail about exactly how to set achievable financial goals, track invoices, and plan for inevitable fallow periods. We'll also bring in the best accountant in the business, from the firm that works with both of us and almost every other freelancer we know, to tell you how to minimize both your tax burden and your stress. Week 6: How to Advance There are no promotions when you work for yourself, so how do you grow your career? Whether you aspire to write big investigations, books, podcasts, or TV, we'll bring the experts to you. An in-demand book agent will discuss what she's looking for when she scouts journalists to sign, while a journalist turned TV-writer will talk about exactly how he made the switch. By the end of the workshop, you'll have a map for how to go from point A to point B - and tools for figuring out your own long-term goals.
Megan Greenwell@greenwell.bsky.social · 7mo ago

That good “writers should talk honestly about money” post inspired me to calculate how I made my income this year. I made more from writing than usual, but not enough! (I encourage others to do this and post the results!) 51% book 23% writing 11% teaching 8% speaking 7% consulting/brand work

Matthew Shaer@matthewshaer.bsky.social · 7mo ago

The most rewarding assignment of the year is almost always the one for the @nytimes.com mag's Lives They Lived issue. No exception in 2025. Mabel was a legend – grateful to her family for opening up about what drove her, on and off the track: www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

The Track and Field Star Who Casually Shattered Race and Gender Barriers

Mabel Landry Staton was one of the first Black, female long-jumpers in the history of the Olympics.

nytimes.com