The Journalism of Why: How we struggle to answer the hardest question In the wake of a shooting, there are frantic efforts to answer the question: Why? The public wants a definitive cause. We may never get one. July 19, 2024 Roy Peter Clark
How politicians abuse language to magnify fear and reflect grievances Orwell, Trump, and the zombie apocalypse: An essay about diss, dys, and dat March 27, 2024 Roy Peter Clark
What those covering the Key Bridge collapse can learn from reports about the 1980 Skyway disaster The journalism about Florida's Skyway disaster is full of lessons for those who are now called upon to make sense of the unthinkable March 26, 2024 Roy Peter Clark
An appreciation of the UNC front page and of news as ritual The staff of The Daily Tar Heel did more than transfer information. They opted instead for an expression of communal fear and suffering. September 6, 2023 Roy Peter Clark
Opinion | What Tony Bennett taught me about the life of a writer The 96-year-old singer never stopped learning and would not accept a creative death, even as the culture of music changed. July 24, 2023 Roy Peter Clark
Public writers, including journalists, ‘must take responsibility for what readers know’ Writing coach and scholar Roy Peter Clark calls for clear and honest writing in the world of lies, propaganda and misinformation April 25, 2023 Marcela Kunova
The world is full of confusion. A new book helps writers make sense of it. In ‘Tell It Like It Is: A Guide to Clear and Honest Writing,’ out now, Roy Peter Clark shows writers how to help the public understand complex topics. April 11, 2023 Katharine Gammon
How to write fast — or at least faster 12 fast-writing strategies that will give you energy, focus and momentum. March 1, 2023 Roy Peter Clark
One brash request, 7 books, and 34 bits of advice for writers How a whimsical invitation featuring the Rolling Stones and a Shelley poem led to some essential writing advice. February 7, 2023 Roy Peter Clark
Opinion | The passing of the queen recalls an important writing strategy Seven different pals sent me an identical message to deliver the news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II: ‘The Queen, my lord, is dead.’ September 16, 2022 Roy Peter Clark
Opinion | In journalism, ‘objective’ is a good word with a noble history. But let’s consider ‘distance from neutrality.’ Just because journalists choose to be neutral about some things does not mean they have to be neutral in all things. April 21, 2022 Roy Peter Clark
How the ‘first rough draft of history’ can be revised and reimagined What we can learn about the evolution of Three Little Words, a 25-year-old serial narrative about the AIDS epidemic. February 21, 2022 Roy Peter Clark
What writers can learn from at-home COVID test instructions. Yes, really. Want to see what civic clarity looks like? Read the directions for Abbott’s BinaxNOW COVID-19 self-test. January 20, 2022 Roy Peter Clark
Why you should learn the ‘classic style’ of public writing The language of guides, museum labels and anything informative — you wouldn’t think a writing style called ‘classic’ might be versatile, but it is. October 13, 2021 Roy Peter Clark
The freedoms and responsibilities of all public writers ‘A Free and Responsible Press’ — a mirror of our times from 1947 — offers a blueprint of requirements for responsible communication with the public. September 29, 2021 Roy Peter Clark
