St. Louis News Blog

By Jennifer Silverberg

Joe Webb, a.k.a. Dr. Wizard

The Post-Dispatch today reprises an article I wrote back in November on Saint Louis University doctoral student Joe Webb and his highly successful blog Dr. Wizard's Advice to College Students.

To my knowledge, neither Webb or his alter-ego Dr. Wizard has ever penned a column on Newspaper Writing 101 as practiced at the P-D headquarters on North Tucker. But it's been suggested to me by a colleague that it goes something like this:

Step One: Read the RFT.
Step Two: Find a story you like.
Step Three: Wait a few months.
Step Four: Claim said story as your own.

Personally, I have no problem with the daily re-writing my original story. Joe Webb and his blog deserve the publicity. Also, I'm a firm believer in the ol' saying: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.