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Why The Guardian Created The Long Read
- The Guardian Long Read was launched in autumn 2014 to create a dedicated home for long-form journalism within a paper that already published features.
- Editors aimed to carve a distinct section publishing higher-volume, curated long pieces (initially three a week) rather than sporadic long features across the paper.
How Many Stories The Long Read Manages At Once
- The Long Read juggles roughly 20–25 drafts in active editing and 30–40 commissioned pieces in the pipeline at any time.
- Commissioning prioritises pieces that will still feel relevant in a year, allowing delays for reporting or legal issues without breaking the section's logic.
Edit By Asking What Each Sentence Means
- Drill down on sentences and ask repeatedly "What does this mean?" to achieve clarity in editing.
- Treat editing as professional reading: record instant reactions, underline unclear lines, and convert them into specific questions for the writer.