J242 Renegades, Underdogs, Madmen: The magazine profile
Profiles are a remarkably versatile form: an open door for exploring a vast range of subjects, from the secret guilt of a paid climate change denier, to the bizarre afterlife of Carrot Top, to the unique super-taster abilities of a chef with Asperger’s. They’re also marketable – editors love them – and unusually fun. So…
Read MoreJ298: Freedom of Information
Freedom of Information This class will survey the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, state public records laws, access to state and federal court records (with emphasis on understanding and opposing the sealing for court records) and emphasize the making of requests and obtaining access. We’ll also study major court decisions granting and limiting access, learn…
Read MoreJ298 Workshop: The one day, turnaround story.
If you plan on working at a daily news site, the quick turnaround story is going to be your bread and butter – especially so in your first few years of reporting when you will be the low person on the totem pole. The ability to do these 750-1000 word stories well, will determine how…
Read MoreJ298 How to be an Editor
This course is designed to be a tasting platter for the aspiring print or online editor, or anyone curious about the job. It’s also a great course for writers who want to learn how editors think, and use those skills to make their own work better. Almost anyone can read a piece and tell that…
Read MoreJ243 Advanced Narrative Writing
Advanced Narrative Writing is primarily for 2nd year students. 1st year students I would urge to take Introduction to Reported Narrative Writing unless you’ve had some experience writing larger narrative stories. People outside the J-School I will usually not have room for, but if you’re interested, contact me in advance to be put on a…
Read MoreJ298 Introduction to Reported Narrative Writing
OVERVIEW The purpose of this workshop is to study and practice the craft of reported narrative writing (also known as long form, narrative nonfiction, and, under certain conditions, literary journalism, all of which are variations on New Journalism). Five years ago I developed the class for writing concentration 1st years who want/need an intermediary step…
Read MoreJ298 – Gender and Journalism
J298 – War Music: Covering Conflict in the Age of Forever War
How to cover conflict when war has become “forever war,” a state of persistent hostility that lurks day after day, month after month, year after year behind the news? When war no longer describes a struggle leading toward victory or defeat but a frozen process that persists indefinitely? This is the world journalists face in the age of the terror,…
Read MoreJ298 Story Structures
In this class, we’ll learn about story architecture – how to craft your material to give it tone, meaning and style, and how to choose a structure that best matches your materials, reporting constraints and artistic intentions. In our 15 weeks together, we’ll examine 13 commonly-used structures to understand how they are constructed and what…
Read MoreWriter and historian Elena Conis (’04) awarded tenure
Dr. Elena Conis, a 2004 graduate of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, has been promoted to associate professor at the School. Conis, a writer and historian specializing in medicine, public health, and the environment, has 14 years of teaching experience. Since returning to Berkeley in 2016, she has taught J200, the School’s intensive…
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