"For a while there, I was a stringer. The expression comes from the old habit of stringing together the column inches that you had written. They'd measure it and pay you 10 cents an inch for your printed copy"

Charles Kuralt's quote is describing his experience as a self-employed reporter. In the past, freelance journalists were spent for their work based upon the length of their short articles. This was called "stringing together the column inches" and they were paid 10 cents for each inch of their released work. This was a typical practice for freelance journalists in the past, and Kuralt was no exception. He was a "stringer" for a while, suggesting he was paid for his work based on the length of his short articles. This quote is a suggestion of the hard work and dedication that freelance reporters take into their work, and the financial struggles they dealt with in the past. It likewise serves as a tip of the significance of valuing the work of freelance journalists and the contributions they make to the world of journalism.