What is Longform Journalism?

TL;DR

• Longform journalism refers to in-depth, narrative-style articles that explore a topic thoroughly, typically 2,000 words or longer.
• This style prioritizes storytelling, research, and context to provide a deeper understanding of complex issues.
• Although it’s time-consuming, longform journalism builds trust with readers by offering insights that shorter news pieces miss.

Defining Longform Journalism

Quick news bites dominate our social media feeds, which makes longform journalism stand out. This type of reporting dives deep into a subject, offering a layered story that goes beyond the typical news article. Articles classified as “longform” are typically more than 2,000 words, and more importantly, they focus on depth, context, and comprehensive analysis. Longform pieces take the reader on a journey, providing detailed research and human stories that make complex issues more accessible and engaging.

Characteristics of Longform

It helps to have a journalism background when organizing and writing stories of this length, but many longform writers are self-taught. The basic elements of a longform feature include:

1. Narrative Structure: Longform journalism adopts a storytelling approach, similar to a novel or documentary. The story unfolds in scenes or chapters, providing a narrative arc that pulls the reader through the story. Whether it’s an investigation into corporate fraud or a personal story about overcoming adversity, longform journalism immerses readers in the topic using the narrative techniques typically found in novels and screenplays.
2. Deep Research and Reporting: Unlike traditional news articles, longform pieces take the time to explore the backstory, context, and broader implications of a topic. This level of reporting requires extensive interviews, data analysis, and months of research. Attention to detail provides insights that surface-level articles don’t cover.
3. Context and Complexity: Longform journalism excels at explaining complex subjects. It goes beyond the “who, what, and when” and digs into the “why” and “how.” The added context helps readers understand complex issues like global politics, climate issues, and more. By exploring different angles and perspectives, longform journalism avoids oversimplification, which is a risk in shorter pieces.

The Benefits of Longform Journalism

TikTok may be one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, but longform articles still have a vast and diverse audience because:

1. It Builds Trust: Longform journalism fosters a deeper connection with readers. The thoroughness of the reporting builds credibility and trust, making it a valuable tool for news organizations aiming to engage a loyal audience. Many people are tired of “fake news” and clickbait, and longform journalism offers reliable, impactful reporting.
2. Readers are Engaged: While it may seem counterintuitive in an era of millisecond-length attention spans, longform articles can generate high reader engagement. When people are invested in a topic, they are willing to spend time with a well-written, insightful aricle or multimedia package. Readers who engage with longform articles often spend more time on a website, fostering loyalty and return visits.
3. Stories are Humanized: Longform journalism often focuses on the human element behind a story. For example, an article about economic inequality might weave in personal interviews with families affected by the issue. An article about sea turtles might explore the scientists and volunteers working on conservation solutions. By bringing in individual experiences, longform journalism makes an abstract or overwhelming topic more relatable.

Longform Articles in Action

If you check the journalism awards each year, you’ll find many of the most celebrated pieces are longform articles. Investigative reports like the Panama Papers, which exposed offshore tax havens, or The New York Times’ coverage of climate issues, are examples of how longform journalism can drive societal change and awareness. These pieces inform the public, shape public discourse, and influence policy decisions.

Publications like The Atlantic, ProPublica, and The New Yorker are known for publishing high-quality longform journalism. These outlets dedicate a good portion of their resources to funding investigative reporting, allowing them to dig deeper into stories than daily news sites.

Many digital platforms feature longform articles. To find market listings, university websites are a great place to visit. They often have databases of periodicals where you can find outlets that publish longer articles. When pitching, it’s important to have a clear and compelling story idea, a brief summary of why you’re the best person to write it, and a few examples of your previous work.

California State University San Marcos maintains a list of periodicals and examples of longform journalism. Other university libraries maintain similar lists.

The Challenges of Longform Journalism

While longform is loved for its depth and detail, it also presents challenges:

1. Time-Intensive: Writing a longform piece takes much longer than a traditional news story. Writers and editors must sift through data, conduct extensive interviews, and often go through several rounds of fact-checking. This can make longform resource-heavy and time-consuming for media organizations.
2. Attention Span: Getting readers to commit to longer articles can be difficult. Longform journalism must be engaging from the first sentence to capture and maintain attention. Strong writing, captivating storytelling, and a clear structure are essential to keeping readers hooked. This is where it helps to understand novel and screenplay storytelling techniques.
3. Funding: Investigative journalism often requires significant financial backing. Media outlets must invest in research, travel, and fact-checking, making it less feasible for small publications with limited budgets. However, nonprofit organizations like ProPublica have made longform journalism more sustainable by focusing on donations and grants to support investigative efforts.

The Future of Longform

Despite the challenges, longform is thriving. As people become more skeptical of clickbait articles and misinformation, they seek credible writers and outlets that provide in-depth analysis. Digital platforms are also supporting this trend, with more publications creating immersive multimedia stories that include video, audio, and interactive elements alongside text.

Also, subscription models have helped publications put quality over quantity. Outlets like The New Yorker and The Atlantic have proven that readers are willing to pay for well-researched, longform content, and that helps the genre continue to find an audience.

Longform journalism plays a crucial role in modern media. Unlike quick-hit news bites, the emphasis on depth, storytelling, and research helps audiences understand complicated subjects in a more nuanced way, which leads to a more complete understanding of the world around us.

For freelance writers, learning the art of longform reporting can help build your credibility as a writer and produce work that resonates with readers while standing the test of time.