Kansas City Star

Wright Thompson learned each story length by repeating it before moving up. At the Kansas City Star he wrote 3,600-word stories, after working through 1,200 and 2,500 words. He wrote many stories at one length until he understood what it could and could not do, then moved up.

The later steps were 7,200 to 8,500 words at ESPN, then 12,000 to 15,000, and about 300 magazine stories before The Barn. He says there is no mystery to getting good, just reps and a butt in a seat, and that going back is hard once you have seen a bigger canvas. Quote: "It's just reps."

How I Write▶ 9:50