The personal essay may be the toughest form to master, especially in a cutthroat online environment that rewards exploitation over nuance. So it's been an honor to work with such talented writers, totally willing to turn their intimate secrets into entertaining, illuminating, and pragmatic examinations of the wider world.
The general consensus at our office was that the Washington Post's dishwasher piece was a fun, inspired bit of reporting. But one of our fantastic staff writers brilliantly disagreed.
This package of hilarious, pointed essays was developed for GOOD's Money issue. I consider the collection a triumph of copy-fitting; we had to chop them all nearly in half (without disrupting the tone or logic) per a last-second shift with the book's final design.
Role: Assigning Editor
Live links: Forget Leaning In, It's Time For Women To Push Back, Welcome to Swiftopia, Why Publicly Shaming Your Boss Is Actually A Great Career Move, Harry Potter and the Curse of the Student Loans
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While the world was freaking out about Trump withdrawing from the Paris agreement, our brilliant climate columnist weighed in with measured optimism (only days later would publications like The Washington Post drop the outrage and follow suit).
The first draft took the ACLU to task for taking on Milo Yiannapoulos as a client. Then — after Charlottesville — we pivoted into a broader examination of free speech that suppresses the safety of others. The author held her own against big names like Glenn Greenwald, who published a splashy, diametrically opposed defense of the ACLU, and was invited to discuss her position on the BBC.
Though we were constrained by the demands of our client (GAP emphasized positivity and good vibes above all else), this series of letters from fierce professional women to their younger selves is smart, powerful, and inspiring, featuring art from feminist illustrator Tuesday Bassen, who also designed an infographic devoted to girl power.
Roles: Assigning Editor, Art Director
Links: Dear 17-Year-Old Me: To Win at Life, You’ve Got to Get Messy, Dear 13-Year-Old Me: You Are Your Own Superhero, Dear 10-Year-Old Me: The Stars Will Lead You to Your True Path
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In the wake of a terrifying climate story from New York Magazine, we ran this deftly researched response proposing that choosing hope over doom and gloom is the smarter strategy.