I started writing here at PJ Media as a freelancer in October 2011. Ten years later, almost to the day of the 10th anniversary of my first piece, PJM hired me as an assistant editor. I'll never forget how the site took a chance on me as an editor.
It was a trial by fire. The first piece I edited was by my now-friend, Kevin Downey, Jr. At that point, I wasn’t familiar enough with his unique style to “get it.” I missed a lot in that edit, but Paula gently corrected me. (And, of course, I caught onto Kevin's style and pretty quickly learned how to edit him.)
Soon, my confidence as an editor began to grow. I became more familiar with what worked for each writer and how I could make what they wrote even better.
At first, I was much better at the technical aspects of editing than I was at making writing shine brighter. But Paula nudged me and shaped me as an editor.
For almost four years, Paula has been a boss and mentor, but for years before that, she was a friend. I’m blessed to have had the opportunity to work for a friend. Of course, that friendship will continue, although we’ll have to have our theological discussions via text instead of Slack DMs.
Paula’s Perspective: Farewell, PJ Media Readers
And now, a new era is dawning at PJ Media. Technically, I’ve been managing editor since Monday, but this is my first day flying solo without Paula’s guidance. It’s exhilarating, but I can’t deny that I’m a little nervous starting out.
Here’s what I can promise you: I’m going to build on the foundation that Paula laid. My associate editors, Aaron Hanscom, Athena Thorne, and Robert Spencer, are committed to it as well.
So while the name on the masthead (okay, the “About Us” page) may change, I assure you that we’ll continue to bring you the content you crave, along with some pieces that might surprise you. You can count on us for news, analysis, and opinion from a conservative perspective, along with columns about culture, faith, and even off-the-beaten-path topics.
A Sweet Tribute From Christian: Our Paula
I’ll admit that this is a learning curve for me. Hopefully, I won’t stumble too much or make too many mistakes. I’m sure my writing output will decrease for a while, at least until I get my legs under me, but I’m hoping that’s only temporary. My colleague and partner in podcasting excellence, Stephen Kruiser, and I are putting “Faith All Over the Place” on a short hiatus, but we’ll pick back up in a few weeks.
I know I’m probably rambling here, but I guess I just want to say that it’s a new era here at PJ Media. I want to continue the excellence Paula established while also putting my own stamp on the site. What will that look like? I don’t know yet, but one of the things I’ve charged the writers here with is having fun. We may wind up writing articles that aren’t fun, but I also hope that we can enjoy what we do.
I hope you’ll join me on this ride. I guarantee that we’ll keep up the excellence that Paula established, and I hope we can explore new frontiers.
And for those of you worried about an uptick in Georgia Bulldogs content — relax. I’ll try to keep my fandom in check. The operative word here is “try.” Just kidding. Maybe.
👉 A quick note before I sign off: If you’ve enjoyed PJ Media for free, I’d love for you to consider joining us as a PJ Media VIP. It’s the best way to support what we do here and to make sure we can keep bringing you the news, culture, and faith content you count on — plus exclusive podcasts, deeper analysis, and a community of like-minded readers.
Right now, you can get 60% off with the promo code FIGHT. It’s a great deal, and it helps us keep fighting for the values we share.
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