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Hi Twitter! @tegwynhughes here, managing editor and co-founder of @ThePigeon!
For the next hour or so, I’ll be using this account to talk about long-form, being a young journalist, and starting a publication from scratch.
This is gonna be a BLAST
For the next hour or so, I’ll be using this account to talk about long-form, being a young journalist, and starting a publication from scratch.
This is gonna be a BLAST
I’m here today to talk about The Pigeon, where we publish in-depth, long-form reporting about Canada-wide topics. But let’s not get to the elevator pitch just yet!
Today I’d really like to talk about long-form journalism, and why I think its resurgence is so dang awesome.
Today I’d really like to talk about long-form journalism, and why I think its resurgence is so dang awesome.
I’m currently driving cross-country from Ottawa, ON, to Duncan, BC with my parents and two pets. We just left Sudbury this morning and are meandering westward.
I’m currently tweeting from a parking lot in Blind River. The cell service... does its best.
I’m currently tweeting from a parking lot in Blind River. The cell service... does its best.
Back to the story.
Up until recently, I was a @queensu History BAH student working as assistant lifestyle editor for campus paper @queensjournal (which deserves a follow, btw)
In the new year, I got the chance to write my first feature
Up until recently, I was a @queensu History BAH student working as assistant lifestyle editor for campus paper @queensjournal (which deserves a follow, btw)
In the new year, I got the chance to write my first feature
Not only was my word limit suddenly massive, but I was expected to interview people, do research, and fill an entire page of the print edition myself!
Writing my piece opened me up to a whole new world of journalism. And I loved it
https://www.queensjournal.ca/story/2020-01-09/features/navigating-the-orgasm-gap/
Writing my piece opened me up to a whole new world of journalism. And I loved it
https://www.queensjournal.ca/story/2020-01-09/features/navigating-the-orgasm-gap/
Today’s media landscape is filled with short news pieces and endless competition. I can’t blame anyone, because lots of articles mean lots of clicks, and lots of ad revenue. Especially during the pandemic, every dollar counts.
But what I return to most are the longer stories.
But what I return to most are the longer stories.
Stories like “Where the pandemic hit hardest” by @aparita for @thelocalhealth: https://thelocal.to/where-the-pandemic-hit-hardest/
Like “Dungeons, Dragons, and You: How Players Find Themselves in the Game” by @nate_crouch for @theeyeopener
(admittedly, as a player, this one struck a personal chord too) https://theeyeopener.com/2019/03/dungeons-dragons-you-how-players-find-themselves-in-the-game/
(admittedly, as a player, this one struck a personal chord too) https://theeyeopener.com/2019/03/dungeons-dragons-you-how-players-find-themselves-in-the-game/
And like @eternitymartis’ “Why Black Women Fear For Their Lives In The Delivery Room” for @HuffPostCanada https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/black-maternal-health-canada_ca_5ed90ae3c5b685164f2eab93
Long-form stories let you learn more about a topic, sure, but it’s the people that make them shine. The sources’ voices add so much depth.
I could go on for ages about long-form, and probably will some other time, but let’s get to the point lol!
I could go on for ages about long-form, and probably will some other time, but let’s get to the point lol!
Anyways, right, The Pigeon.
At the beginning of COVID-19, stuck at home in Ottawa with my parents and newly graduated, I was really excited to flex my feature skills.
But, oops, nobody really had any freelancer money, especially not for a newbie without a j-school degree.
At the beginning of COVID-19, stuck at home in Ottawa with my parents and newly graduated, I was really excited to flex my feature skills.
But, oops, nobody really had any freelancer money, especially not for a newbie without a j-school degree.
I spent a month pitching long-form stories to approximately a million publications and felt burnt out and hopeless. The pandemic was really messing with my vibes.
Then, in a group chat for young journos started by @mmrcasalino, @ThePigeon was born.
Then, in a group chat for young journos started by @mmrcasalino, @ThePigeon was born.
We all had these in-depth long-form story ideas, and nowhere to publish them.
If we couldn’t get paid to write features, why not publish them ourselves? If there wasn’t a niche for long-form by young Canadians, why not make it?
If we couldn’t get paid to write features, why not publish them ourselves? If there wasn’t a niche for long-form by young Canadians, why not make it?
On July 6, @ThePigeon launched.
All of a sudden, I was writing a long-form piece every week. It was awesome.
Not only that, but other young journalists started reaching out to us. They’d never written long-form before, and they wanted to learn.
All of a sudden, I was writing a long-form piece every week. It was awesome.
Not only that, but other young journalists started reaching out to us. They’d never written long-form before, and they wanted to learn.
The Pigeon’s editorial team takes time with our contributor stories. We’ve had drafts go through 15+ rounds of edits before even getting to copy. We’ve shown young journalists who’ve never written a story over 200 words to craft a 2,000-word article.
It’s awesome.
It’s awesome.
A lot of people have called The Pigeon a stepping stone between campus journalism and “real” “grown-up” journalism.
They’re mostly right (although I’d argue campus journalism is as real as it gets).
But we’re also a publication that welcomes inexperienced writers.
They’re mostly right (although I’d argue campus journalism is as real as it gets).
But we’re also a publication that welcomes inexperienced writers.
Half-formed pitch? We’ll tell you to come back with more details. Never interviewed a source before? We’ll show you how. Article needs polishing? We’ll hop on an hours-long Zoom call with you and go over it line-by-line.
Yes, that last example happens more than you’d think.
Yes, that last example happens more than you’d think.
Running a publication is hard work. We’re still in our infant stages. I spend most of my days fundraising ( http://patreon.com/thepigeon ), hosting Zoom calls, and checking in on my team.
But jeez, every time we publish a story by a young Canadian journalist, my heart sings.
But jeez, every time we publish a story by a young Canadian journalist, my heart sings.
There’s a lot planned for The Pigeon’s future. Fundraising drives, workshops, conferences, podcasts ( @coastal_calling), and more.
At its core, though, The Pigeon will always be that little blog we envisioned. The rest is just icing on top of the journalism cake
At its core, though, The Pigeon will always be that little blog we envisioned. The rest is just icing on top of the journalism cake
It’s a weird time to be a young journalist right now. This week, journalism programs started back up again, and I bet new students are feeling unsure.
Being a young journalist isn’t easy, but if you find your niche I promise it can be fun as hell and filled with community.
Being a young journalist isn’t easy, but if you find your niche I promise it can be fun as hell and filled with community.
If you’re a young journalist who wants to learn more about long-form, you can email me ([email protected]), Maggie ([email protected]), or check out http://the-pigeon.ca/contribute .
If you’re an old(er) journalist, why not visit http://patreon.ca/thepigeon
If you’re an old(er) journalist, why not visit http://patreon.ca/thepigeon
Also, if you like the @caj, apply to be an intern! I wish I was still in university so I could apply too:
https://caj.ca/blog/autumn_2020_internship_call
https://caj.ca/blog/autumn_2020_internship_call
That’s my spiel—I don’t want to shout into the void all day.
Tweet me your questions about @ThePigeon, long-form, and being a 22-year-old managing editor who didn’t even go to journalism school.
Tweet me your questions about @ThePigeon, long-form, and being a 22-year-old managing editor who didn’t even go to journalism school.
I especially want to hear from other young journos about their questions and what they’ve done during COVID-19.
Let me retweet the stories you’ve published this summer, for campus papers or otherwise
Let me retweet the stories you’ve published this summer, for campus papers or otherwise
