Profiles: Lives on the Brink

An actor poised to step on the stage. An athlete bracing for a make-or-break match. A lawyer steeling herself for the first day of trial. A homeless woman entering a shelter. In this course, we will focus on profiling people at pivotal moments of change and bringing them to life. Assignments range from a short feature of 600 words to one magazine length story of 3,000 words. Students will learn how to use public records and other tools to deepen their reporting, gain skills in preparing for and conducting probing interviews and learn how to write with power, detail and urgency. Students will also practice pitching their stories to a journalist at a major news organization and learn how to use social media for reporting and promoting their work.