sob sister
noun
A journalist, especially a woman, employed as a writer or an editor of sob stories.
A sentimental, ineffective person who seeks to do good.
A journalist who writes mainly sentimental articles or has an advice column.
Sob Sisters is the journalists' club founded in 2018 by the authors Karen Abbott (The Ghosts of Eden Park), Susannah Cahalan (The Great Pretender), and Ada Calhoun (Why We Can't Sleep) to celebrate women reporters.
Once a month, they convene in a bar or a bookstore to talk shop. There are usually 2-3 speakers or readers—a seasoned author with a hot new book out, a young writer with a proposal she wants advice on, an editor with a call for submissions, a publicist willing to share trade secrets, a fact-checker describing best practices. Past readers and speakers include Karen Rinaldi, Susan Orlean, Maureen Callahan, and Randi Epstein.