Are you a writer? Radio journalist? Podcaster? Multimedia adventurer?
They all sound good to us.
Storytelling today moves from one platform to another. The best magazines, like The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine, have print editions but also offer podcasts, photography slideshows, and other multimedia content. Meanwhile, a live, spoken-word experience like The Moth has become a radio show — and now a book, a print collection of its greatest hits.
It’s time that storytellers had a gathering that respected the new reality, by disrespecting the old boundaries.
THREAD at Yale, which is taking place June 11 - 14, 2017, is a gathering of professional journalists and storytellers that does not care whether you work in print, video, audio, photography, or some form we haven’t even thought of yet.
At this program, a small group of storytellers will gather for three days and nights to learn from masters in the field. And from each other. It’s not a conference, and it’s not a workshop.
It’s both. Maybe it’s neither.
“THREAD gave me insights into the craft of storytelling that have already changed the way I write. I’ve come away totally energized by the incredible work I’ve seen and heard. These three stimulating days have raised my standards for what I might do, creatively and professionally.”
— Margo True, Food Editor, Sunset Magazine
WHAT MAKES THREAD AT YALE DIFFERENT?
- Two conversations, every morning, with virtuosos of cross-platform, multimedia storytelling. Last year, we learned from Steven Brill how he has built a career in books, magazines, television, and now, in his latest venture, long-form web journalism. And from Glynn Washington how he created Snap Judgment, one of the fastest growing radio shows and podcasts in public radio history. And more…
- An intimate, small-group workshop (with 10-12 people in each group) every afternoon. THREAD assigns each attendee to a group of ten students, and each group meets for three hours a day, for three days, with one of our elite faculty. The workshop teachers last summer included legends like Linda Gradstein, longtime NPR bureau chief in Jerusalem, and younger stars like New Yorkerwriter and National Magazine Award winner Sarah Stillman.
- No boundaries. Attendees may workshop a long magazine piece, a multimedia presentation, a podcast in progress, whatever… as long as it tells a story.
- Evening parlor discussions. On both Monday and Tuesday night, the whole community will gather, over drinks, with pioneering storytellers, to hear about their career journeys. Afterward, the conversation can continue at one of New Haven’s many charming, college-town pubs.
- It’s summer. Let’s be casual. Food from food trucks. No ties allowed. Feel free to end your sentences with prepositions.
THREAD at Yale is an offshoot of the Yale Journalism Initiative (YJI). YJI was founded in 2006, with a gift from Steven Brill, to encourage Yale students to consider careers in journalism. The Initiative’s faculty so far have included Steven Brill, Jill Abramson, Mark Schoofs, and Bob Woodward, and its alumni, called Yale Journalism Scholars, now work at major storytelling platforms from The New York Times to NPR, from PBS to Slate and Buzzfeed and beyond. THREAD AT YALE builds on this vision but is limited to those ages 21 and up (though exceptions may be made for talented storytellers between the ages of 18 and 21). Unlike some other journalists’ gatherings, there is no preference for "mid-career" applicants. We don’t care about your age or your level of experience, just your enthusiasm.
For more information click "Further official information" below.