Journalist Inge Oosterhoff Surprised by Close Collaboration at The Guardian
amsterdam, vrijdag, 11 juli 2025.
Journalist Inge Oosterhoff shares her experiences of writing a longread for The Guardian US. She was surprised by the extensive feedback and close collaboration with the editor, which gave her a sharper insight into her story. The 6,000-word article focused on the role of IVF in the lives of infertile couples and the criticism from the Christian right movement. Oosterhoff, who completed the MFA programme in Literary Reportage at New York University in 2023, is proud of the final result and has gained more confidence in her work.
Close Collaboration and Detailed Feedback
Journalist Inge Oosterhoff shares her experiences of writing a longread for The Guardian US. She was surprised by the extensive feedback and close collaboration with the editor, which gave her a sharper insight into her story. The 6,000-word article focused on the role of IVF in the lives of infertile couples and the criticism from the Christian right movement. Oosterhoff, who completed the MFA programme in Literary Reportage at New York University in 2023, is proud of the final result and has gained more confidence in her work [1].
A New Way of Working
Last month, Inge Oosterhoff wrote a longread for The Guardian US, where she discovered a different working method than what she was used to. She extensively discussed the intended characters, narrative arc, and story structure with her editor. This led to multiple drafts and consultations, during which she received increasingly detailed feedback. After the final draft, a reproductive rights reporter asked further substantive questions, a fact-checker reviewed all sources and quotes, and a lawyer concluded that it was legally sound [1].
Final Result: A 6,000-Word Article
The final result was a 6,000-word article that Oosterhoff is proud of and has full confidence in. She noted: ‘I wasn’t used to discussing my work in such detail, but it helped me maintain a sharp focus on a story I might otherwise have become blind to.’ Oosterhoff, who also provides feedback on colleagues’ drafts and co-teaches the Narrative Writing course with Peter Zantingh, emphasises the value of this close collaboration [1].
Impact on Her Journalistic Practice
The experience at The Guardian not only helped Oosterhoff improve her writing style but also enriched her understanding of journalistic processes. She now sees the value of detailed feedback and close collaboration with editors, which helps her make her stories sharper and more focused. This experience has given her more confidence in her work and reinforced her enthusiasm for narrative writing [1].