Contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine, Emerson Fellow at New America, host of the Origin Stories podcast. Red Sox fan. Please God don't ask me about the "progress" on my "book"https://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.social/post/3mdiuhn7utk2pSometimes you learn the most from writers working in very different disciplines than your own. So: Huge thanks to @alexiscoe.bsky.social for agreeing to talk about shaking up the historical canon and the risks (and pleasures) of researching very dead white dudes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/origin-stories/id1833077585?i=100074698150528 Jan 2026 18:06 +0000at://did:plc:udrpjko3mw2f7q3mcci45qfv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdiuhn7utk2phttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.social/post/3mddewwgcbc2jToday in ICE/ice related metaphors (h/t @maradavis.bsky.social for the screen grab)26 Jan 2026 13:45 +0000at://did:plc:udrpjko3mw2f7q3mcci45qfv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mddewwgcbc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.social/post/3mccme2yqkk2hFrom the journalist’s book of psalms [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Jan 2026 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:udrpjko3mw2f7q3mcci45qfv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mccme2yqkk2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.social/post/3mcb4exd7wk2ySome of the greatest writing advice every dispensed: “If a story is not about the hearer he will not listen. And here I make a rule — a great and lasting story is about everyone or it will not last.”12 Jan 2026 22:42 +0000at://did:plc:udrpjko3mw2f7q3mcci45qfv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcb4exd7wk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.social/post/3mc3dhi4gwc22Been waiting for the long form treatment of this one - what a story. [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Jan 2026 15:32 +0000at://did:plc:udrpjko3mw2f7q3mcci45qfv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mc3dhi4gwc22https://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.social/post/3mbrzake3i22kTerrifyingly accurate depiction of the editing process by larskenseth.bsky.social06 Jan 2026 22:36 +0000at://did:plc:udrpjko3mw2f7q3mcci45qfv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbrzake3i22khttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.social/post/3mbrco3ress2rNow that I’ve finally dragged myself over to this app, I figure it’s time to share a few favorite Origin Stories interviews from last year, starting with this episode on the making of @brian-goldstone.bsky.social’s NYT best of the year/Obama-endorsed masterpiece: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/origin-stories/id1833077585?i=100073210625406 Jan 2026 15:52 +0000at://did:plc:udrpjko3mw2f7q3mcci45qfv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbrco3ress2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.social/post/3mbovod7iff2wWhen his kid started getting bullied, Rick Kuehner pleaded for assistance from local police and school officials. By the time help arrived, a different teenager was dead, and an entire Arizona community had been thrown into chaos. Out this weekend in print: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/15/magazine/bullying-teenagers-gilbert-goons-gang.html05 Jan 2026 16:54 +0000at://did:plc:udrpjko3mw2f7q3mcci45qfv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbovod7iff2whttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewshaer.bsky.social/post/3mbotjblnyv2wThe most rewarding assignment of the year is almost always the one for the @nytimes.com mag's Lives They Lived issue. No exception in 2025. Mabel was a legend – grateful to her family for opening up about what drove her, on and off the track: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/12/16/magazine/mabel-landry-staton-olympics.html05 Jan 2026 16:15 +0000at://did:plc:udrpjko3mw2f7q3mcci45qfv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbotjblnyv2w