Del Norte’s stories are best told by the people who live them.
We’re inviting community writers to report on the places, people and news they know best, from council meetings and road closures to the history behind the town. Write at your desk, keep going from your phone, and work with an editor in your corner. We’d love to hear from you.
An editor built for gathering news
Most writing tools are built for offices. Zen Mode is built for the reporter on the go: quiet when you’re writing, ready when you’re reporting.
Zen Mode is developed by Nick Maietta of PremoWeb LLC, the Triplicate’s in-house website and software developer, a Northern California company.
Nothing between you and the page
No toolbars, no clutter. The controls fade away while you type. Focus mode dims everything but the paragraph you’re on; typewriter mode keeps your line steady on screen. Paper, night or bright white: your choice.
Templates that guide, not fill
Start from Breaking News, a Story Update, Local History, a Feature and more. Each asks for the few facts that story needs and keeps a checklist beside the page, without putting a single word in your story.
A reporter’s notebook
Capture leads, sources, quotes and to-dos the moment you hear them, then keep them alongside the story they belong to. Private to you.
Your byline, your way
Add a headshot and a short bio readers see under your stories. Cover more than one beat? Keep a byline for each.
Photos from the field
Snap it, add it. Pick photos from your phone’s camera roll or take one on the spot, then add a caption and credit. Location data is stripped out automatically before anything is stored.
Never lose a word
Everything saves as you type. Lose signal out at the river or on 101? Your work is kept on your device and saved the moment you’re back online.
Start on the computer. Finish on the scene.
Begin a story at home, then pick it up on your phone the moment you head out the door, right where you left off.
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Scan, type a PIN, keep writing
Tap “Continue on phone,” scan the code with your camera and enter the PIN shown on your computer. Your phone opens the same story, signed in. Each code works once and expires in minutes.
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Photos straight from your phone
Add pictures from your camera roll, or take one on the spot. No emailing them to yourself, no cables. Location data is removed automatically.
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No signal? No problem
Your words are kept on your phone and saved as soon as you’re back in range.
Know your corner of Del Norte? Write about it with us.
No newsroom experience required. Curiosity and care for getting it right are.
Whatever you’re covering, there’s a place to start
Breaking News
Something is happening now. Get the facts out fast, then build on them.
News Story
A standard local story, most important facts first.
Story Update
New developments on a story we already ran.
Historical / Looking Back
Local history, anniversaries, and “years ago” items.
Feature / Profile
People, places and stories that take a little longer to tell.
Other
Columns, briefs, Man On The Street, or anything else.
From your notebook to the Triplicate
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Apply
Tell us a little about yourself and what you’d like to cover. It takes two minutes.
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Get your desk
Once an editor sets you up, you’ll have your own space in Zen Mode. Add your byline, headshot and bio; the Triplicate approves them before they go on a story.
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Write, then send
Your drafts are yours alone. Nobody sees a word until you send it to the editor.
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Work with an editor
An editor reviews every story and may tighten it up or send it back with notes. You can see every change and who made it.
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Published
Accepted stories run on triplicate.com under your byline. The publisher decides which also go in the printed paper.
Every edit is out in the open. Each version of your story is kept, along with who changed what and when, so you and the editor always see the same thing.
Questions
Who sees my drafts?
Only you. A story stays private on your desk until you choose to send it to the editor, and you can pull it back to keep working before they get to it.
Will my story run in the paper?
Stories our editors accept are published on our website. Whether a story also runs in the printed Triplicate is the publisher’s decision. You can suggest it when you send it in.
Will my writing be edited?
Yes, like every story in the paper. Edits are recorded with who made them, so you can always see exactly what changed in your story.
What do I need?
A connection to the community, an eye for what’s happening, and a commitment to getting it right. Zen Mode works in any modern browser on a computer, tablet or phone.
Can I start on my computer and finish on my phone?
Yes. Tap “Continue on phone” in Zen Mode, scan the code with your phone’s camera and type the short PIN shown on your computer. Your phone opens the same story, signed in and ready, so you can keep writing and add photos straight from your camera roll.
What if I’m connected to what I’m writing about?
Tell us. Before you send a story you confirm it’s written in good faith and accurate to the best of your ability, and disclose any connection: you’re part of the story, a relative or employer is, or you’re running for office. Your editor sees it, and when it matters to readers it’s published with the story. Candidates for office always have that disclosed.
Can I write under more than one byline?
Yes. A standard byline for news (“By Jane Smith, Triplicate Reporter”) and a column byline for a regular feature (“Jane Smith: Man On The Street”), each with its own photo and bio.
Apply to write for the Triplicate
Tell us a little about yourself and what you’d like to cover. An editor reads every application and will get back to you by email.