The Waterproof Notebook

The Power of a One-Minute Story

Visual artist-turned-writer Daniel Troppy talks about chronicling his parents' end-of-life journey, 100 words (and one image) at a time

Apr 12 • Kim Cross

26

23

3

March 2026

Waterproof Gear for Immersion Reporting

A few tips and tools for reporting and filming (hands-free) in the surf and other gnarly conditions. (Plus some non-waterproof travel gear favorites.)

Mar 29 • Kim Cross

7

Surfing Waves of Grief

An elegy for three generations of waterproof women.

Mar 9 • Kim Cross

39

16

3

Giveaway! Waterproof EDC Notebook Kit

For paid subscribers of The Waterproof Notebook, I'm doing a drawing for a Lochby Sidekick with a Rite in the Rain notebook, index cards, and…

Mar 1 • Kim Cross

5

4

2

February 2026

This is How it Feels to Choke

As a competitive athlete, I choked for 10 years—a decade of failure—before learning the mental skills essential to perform under pressure.

Feb 24 • Kim Cross

27

8

3

Interview with a Biographer

Brendan O'Meara shares tips for researching reconstructed scenes and getting in the head of a character who’s no longer around to be interviewed

Feb 15 • Kim Cross

6

1

The Kendrick Lamar Test: When and how to use an expository aside

A few examples of expository asides with tips on when and how to use them. My litmus test? The 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Feb 7 • Kim Cross

19

10

4

The First Celebrity Face of Nike

How a biographer reconstructed dramatic scenes and got in the head of running legend Steve Prefontaine.

Feb 3 • Kim Cross

10

3

2

December 2025

Emily Sohn on process and structure

For her award-winning narrative, "The Catch," journalist Emily Sohn profiled Virginia Kraft, who hunted with kings, drank with Hemingway, and wrote for…

Dec 31, 2025 • Kim Cross

8

Deals: The Softest (And Toughest) Merino Wool

The perfect base layer, merino wool wicks away sweat, retains heat even when wet, and fights odor. But finding one that's durable (and not scratchy…

Dec 1, 2025 • Kim Cross

4

5

November 2025

The most important outdoor sports journalist I'd never heard of

A little note to (and from) the boy's club of outdoor adventure longform

Nov 30, 2025 • Kim Cross

10

5

1

October 2025

How to Pack for Alaska

Here's my full packing list for a two-week trip to Alaska for commercial sockeye fishing, sports fishing for king salmon, and reporting two features

Oct 26, 2025 • Kim Cross

5