Narrative Journalism blends traditional reporting with storytelling techniques. You'll learn how to craft compelling, true stories using scenes, characters, and dialogue. The course covers in-depth interviewing, immersive research methods, and structuring long-form articles. You'll also explore ethical considerations in storytelling and develop your own unique voice as a writer.
Narrative Journalism can be challenging, but it's also super rewarding. The hardest part is often the time commitment – you'll need to do a lot of research and interviews for each piece. Writing long-form articles takes practice, and you might struggle with structure at first. But if you love storytelling and are curious about people, you'll probably find it more fun than difficult.
Introduction to Journalism: Learn the basics of reporting, news writing, and media ethics. This course sets the foundation for all your future journalism classes.
Feature Writing: Dive into longer-form articles and learn how to craft engaging human interest stories. You'll practice writing leads, developing characters, and structuring longer pieces.
Literary Journalism: Explore the intersection of literature and journalism. You'll study famous works and try your hand at writing articles with a more literary flair.
Immersion Journalism: Learn how to fully immerse yourself in a story, often for extended periods. This class teaches you how to gain deep insights and write from personal experience.
Magazine Writing: Focus on crafting articles for magazines, both print and digital. You'll learn about different types of magazine pieces and how to pitch your ideas to editors.
Creative Nonfiction: Blend factual writing with creative techniques. This course helps you develop your storytelling skills while staying true to real events and people.
Journalism: Focuses on gathering, verifying, analyzing, and presenting news and information. Students learn various forms of media production and the principles of ethical reporting.
English: Involves the study of literature, language, and writing. Students develop critical thinking skills and learn to analyze and create various forms of written communication.
Creative Writing: Emphasizes the craft of writing fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Students workshop their pieces and learn about the publishing industry.
Media Studies: Examines the impact of media on society and culture. Students learn about media theory, production techniques, and how to analyze media messages critically.
Long-form Journalist: Write in-depth articles for magazines, newspapers, or online publications. You'll spend time researching, interviewing, and crafting compelling narratives about complex topics or interesting people.
Documentary Filmmaker: Create non-fiction films that tell powerful stories. You'll use your narrative skills to structure documentaries and conduct in-depth interviews with subjects.
Podcast Producer: Develop and produce narrative-style podcasts. You'll research topics, interview guests, and craft engaging audio stories that keep listeners hooked.
Ghostwriter: Write books or articles in someone else's voice. You'll use your interviewing and storytelling skills to help others share their experiences or expertise.
How long are typical narrative journalism pieces? They can range from a few thousand words to book-length works. Most magazine features fall between 3,000 to 7,000 words.
Do I need to be a good fiction writer to succeed in this class? Not necessarily, but having a knack for storytelling helps. The class will teach you techniques to make your non-fiction writing more engaging.
Can I write about myself in narrative journalism? While some narrative journalism includes personal experiences, it's usually focused on other people or topics. You'll learn when and how to incorporate your own perspective appropriately.