Inspiring Writing and Journalism Tips from Pulitzer Prize Winners

The Pulitzer Prize is among the most prestigious honors awarded to journalists and writers worldwide. We explored interviews with various Pulitzer winners over the years and gathered their most inspiring quotes and practical advice.

The Pulitzer Prize celebrates excellence across journalism, literature, and music, with a monetary award of $10,000. Yet, for recipients, the recognition itself holds more significance than the financial reward.

Legendary figures such as Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, Ernest Hemingway, and poet Carl Sandburg—who won the prize three times—are among the distinguished laureates.

In literature, the prize honors outstanding works in drama, biography, poetry, and fiction. Journalists often earn it by bravely covering wars, uncovering groundbreaking stories, or investigating complex conspiracies.

Many winners share their secrets to success, offering insights into their creative process and how they overcome writer’s block. Here are some of the best tips from Pulitzer Prize recipients across different eras.

Jennifer Egan

Jennifer Egan won the Pulitzer in 2011 for her novel A Visit from the Goon Squad. In interviews, she reveals that her inspiration needs are surprisingly simple.

“To start a story, I only need a setting, a time, and a problem I want to explore.”

Egan emphasizes the importance of being passionate about the creative process and making consistent, incremental progress. Though she considers herself not highly prolific, she writes 5–7 pages of original content daily.

Like many authors, she drafts multiple versions—usually three or four—rewriting each up to 20 times until the manuscript is ready for editorial review.

Bill Dedman

Bill Dedman received the Pulitzer in 1989 for his investigative journalism exposing racial discrimination in Atlanta, leading to significant reforms. He advises writers to observe the world attentively and create original work rather than merely critiquing others.

“It’s easy to comment on someone else’s work or translate it. Instead, strive to craft something original by observing people and the world around you.”

Dedman famously used tools like Microsoft Excel to organize his research, reflecting his old-school journalistic methods.

This approach recalls George R.R. Martin, who writes his novels using a vintage DOS computer and WordStar 4.0, a classic 1980s text editor.

Adam Goldberg

Adam Goldberg earned the prize for his investigation into the New York Police Department’s treatment of Muslim communities after 9/11. He believes fearlessness is a crucial trait for any journalist.

“Want to succeed in journalism? Half the battle is learning to be fearless. I can’t count how many doors were closed on me during my investigations, but I kept pushing through.”

Jason Zepp

Jason Zepp won recently in 2014 for his journalistic work across Asia. He credits constant interaction with new people and global travel as key to his approach. His advice is to always maintain perspective.

“Never assume the story you’re covering lacks value. There’s always more beneath the surface. Explore the topic thoroughly and dig as deep as you can.”

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