21Apr

Wait, 1986 was 40 years ago? It was definitely an eventful year for me

Schuyler, Virginia - April 24, 2025: Original Earl Hamner home in Schuyler, VA which the television show The Waltons was based on.

There was a lot going on in my first year as a full-time newspaper reporter.

12Apr

It was a nickname I never asked for or earned, and one day it had to go away

Photo of the Pulitzer Prizes homepage on a monitor screen through a magnifying glass.

It was flattering to be called “Pulitzer” when I ordered a sandwich or pizza, but there came a time when that had to end.

08Feb

My Super Bowl LX report is not what you might expect, but it’s original

A multicolor pen (red, black, blue, green ink) rests on its side against a white background. The bottom half is blue, with a black border separating it from the top half, which is white and has a pocket clip and a hole at the top for a necklace chain or lanyard to run through.

I thought some of you might like to see what old-school scribbling was like for me back in the day, as they say.

01Feb

Some professional news for you: I have decided to move on

Note with the word UPDATE placed on a computer keyboard.

I’m leaving The Athletic and The New York Times Company. The decision is mine. My last day will be Feb. 2.

05Jan

So anyway, I’ll probably have some work news for you soon

Work from anywhere. Rear view of young woman, female freelancer in straw hat working on laptop, keeping arms raised and celebrating success while sitting on the tropical sandy beach at sunset.

Believe it or not, my job update wasn’t the biggest news of January 2021. And as hard as it is to believe, it’s now five years later.

24Dec

You might as well go to a mom-and-pop store

The inside of a Costco warehouse shows thousands of items but still only a small part of the overall inventory there. The warehouse is huge.

Focus on what will keep you employed and keep your news organization relevant — and in business. Let go of the rest.

10Dec

Due to? Because of? Don’t sweat it, my favorite grammarians say

English colorful flashcards of conjunction words on white background.

I’m here, with professional assistance, to give you one less worry as you work your way through copy or your writing.

09Dec

Not to brag, but I can’t think of a copy editor who can match my skill set

A fully opened Swiss Army knife, or pen knife or multipurpose knife. It's red.

Some thoughts on my career on the ninth day of limbo between my disability leave and my return to work.

29Sep

Press conference? News conference? Are we really sweating this?

Press pass ID card icon. Journalist visitor pass, vector illustration.

Somewhere along the way, someone in my line of work decided we can’t call it a press conference anymore. News conference, they insisted.

25Sep

You are not inside your subject’s head, but if so, maybe only to the extent they want you to be

Against a light blue background, an illustration of a human brain, darker blue in this case, has chains and a lock on it, and the lock is unlocked.

Voice-of-God reporting is a problem in American journalism. The stakes aren’t as big in sports as in politics, but I have examples to share.

CarlyJDubois.com

Tag: journalism

Wait, 1986 was 40 years ago? It was definitely an eventful year for me

It was a nickname I never asked for or earned, and one day it had to go away

My Super Bowl LX report is not what you might expect, but it’s original

Some professional news for you: I have decided to move on

So anyway, I’ll probably have some work news for you soon

You might as well go to a mom-and-pop store

Due to? Because of? Don’t sweat it, my favorite grammarians say

Not to brag, but I can’t think of a copy editor who can match my skill set

Press conference? News conference? Are we really sweating this?

You are not inside your subject’s head, but if so, maybe only to the extent they want you to be