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Environmental Writing and Reporting

Writing about climate, energy, and other in-demand stories

Environmental Writing and Reporting
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WHEN 4 weeks, January 14 - February 11
Chats Wednesdays, 9-10 pm ET

WHERE Online. Click here for more information.

LEVEL Intro

PRICE
$350 ($325 for )
more info

Course Details

Environmental reporting is more in-demand than ever, with climate change and the riding costs of energy creating a perfect storm that will bring massive change. Publications are hungry to understand these changes, creating a vast market for environmentally-minded writers. Going green has gone mainstream and issues range from global to local.

To break into environmental writing, you need the ability to find unique stories, the skill to explain issues in understandable and vivid ways, and the broad vision to set stories in context. This class will give you the tools you need to dig beneath the surface into both science and economy for explanation, and to find real stories amid the clatter.

In this class, you will learn how to:

  • Find and develop environmental stories for global and local media
  • Find and interview technical experts about your story -- and turn their language into something readers will understand
  • Put your story in a broader context of climate change, economics, or policy shift that will appeal to editors
  • Pitch and sell your story to print and online editors
  • Keep your story lively and readable

By the end of this class, you will have:
A complete article and pitch letter, ideas on where to find other stories, and resources for where to pitch them

Admission Requirements:
Please submit a letter of interest (including a brief work history) and a writing sample (less than 2,000 words).

The online classroom has several interactive components:

  • Instructors post lectures once a week. You can read them online, print them, or download them at your convenience.
  • Students post completed assignments for feedback and discussion by the instructor and class.
  • Weekly chats allow your class to get together via instant message. Transcripts are available for review if you can't attend.
  • Technical support is available from mediabistro.com staff.

 Environmental Writing and Reporting (PDF)
View a sample syllabus for this class here.

Related Courses

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• Research and Reporting – ONLINE (Class starts January 28)
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Instructor Bio

Doug Struck's Courses

Environmental Writing and Reporting – (Class starts January 14)

Doug Struck
Doug Struck has covered the environment and global warming stories from the Arctic to the Andes for The Washington Post and the Baltimore Sun. His reporting included voyages through the Northwest Passage, camping on Greenland's ice shelf, climbing high-altitude glaciers in Peru, covering the Exxon Valdez oil spill and countless hours deciphering science and policy on the environment, as well as a few wars and hurricanes.

He is now the senior science writer for Harvard University Center for the Environment, a regular freelance contributor to environmental sites, and teaches journalism at Boston University.
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