This week’s Writer Wednesday features Writing Room member Josiah Bates!
Based in Ann Arbor, Josiah is a journalist whose love for storytelling began with cartoons and handwritten scripts as a kid. Today, he covers gun violence and criminal justice as a correspondent for The Trace and is working on a nonfiction book about elite police units. Read more about him below!
When did you first discover your love for writing? Were there any key moments or influences that sparked your passion?
I fell in love with storytelling as a kid, inspired by the movies and cartoons I watched religiously. I started handwriting my own scripts, mimicking the shows I loved. In middle school, the only assignments I excelled at were the ones that involved storytelling.
By high school, my focus shifted to sports, specifically basketball. I was obsessed, but I knew I wasn’t good enough to play at the college level, so I set my sights on becoming a sports journalist, dreaming of covering the NBA.
Then, in college, everything changed. As the police reform movement gained national attention, I became drawn to covering criminal justice. I realized this was the space where I wanted to tell stories — stories I believe matter.
What writing projects are you currently working on?
I’m a Midwest correspondent for The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to in-depth reporting on gun violence in America. I write about two stories a month, covering a wide range of issues from community-led prevention efforts, emerging trends, policing strategies and accountability.
I’m also working on my second nonfiction book on the rise of elite police units in the U.S., using the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis as a central case study to explore how these squads operate — and how they fail.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
As a reporter, research and information gathering can feel daunting, but it’s also the most rewarding part of the process. That said, writing is my true passion. I love the moment when it’s time to shape everything I’ve gathered into a compelling, narratively-driven story.
What does your writing workspace look like?
I have an office set up in my apartment, but I also write at coffee shops and hotel lobbies when I’m on a reporting trip.
What is your favorite non-writing hobby?
Playing basketball.
What is your favorite piece of writing advice?
Don’t overthink it — just get the words on the page. Writing is simply rewriting. The first draft doesn’t need to make sense; it just needs to capture the idea.
Read more about Josiah at josiahbates.com.
— Interview by Jenna Hausmann