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Q. My writing is really more suited for magazines -- lots of narrative, 35 to 40-inch pieces, etc. I was hired to write narrative, but the young and hard-schooled-inverted-pyramid-news style is all the copy editor seems to like. Even my 25-inch narratives are reduced to 10-inch laundry lists. I like the area where I am and

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most of my job here. However, I'm resigned to writing laundry lists since talking to anyone about narrative here has failed. When that one editor is out and my narrative gets by, it wins awards. So, I know I'm hitting the target when allowed to.

I am getting some interest from my queries to news magazines about narrative pieces. I'm allowed to freelance with non-competing markets, and since they only want laundry lists here, not narratives, there's certainly no conflict about content. I do the interviews on my own time and shoot photos with my own equipment. The only reason to really keep this job is medical benefits and a steady paycheck. Before I leave journalism down the road for freelancing and the stress of not getting a regular paycheck, tell me -- are there really newspapers out there that welcome, reward and want the kind of writing I do? It wins awards. But getting it published is a whole other ball game.

Thanks!

Virginia

A. Yes, Virginia, newspapers still do publish narratives. Tune into the Nieman Narrative Digest, and you'll see fresh ones all the time,

Joe Grimm

as well as helpful suggestions on honing the craft. One suggestion is to go to the Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism, which will be held in Boston March 14 - 16. Check it out. Rates go up Jan 15. In the Digest, pay attention to where those gems are published to get some leads on which news organizations value them.

You're in an ideal situation now, being allowed to freelance so widely. Use that opportunity to grow and build the clip package that will help you move when you decide to.

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Coming Tuesday: In a related question, a new journalist who knows he needs training says his paper provides none, and he worries about what to do. We have resources for people who have to go it alone.

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