Want to become an investigative journalist? Start here.
If you’re ready to start building the skills you’ll need to work in investigative journalism, one place to start is a mindset shift, said Alexandra Zayas, ProPublica’s deputy managing editor. Zayas is also the instructor for our virtual October workshop “Will Work For Impact: Fundamentals of Investigative Journalism.”
“I once edited a freelance feature writer who was an attorney by trade, and it clicked for him when he realized he needed to lean more into his legal training to gather evidence, test arguments and build a case,” Zayas said. “Investigations revolve around problems that are leading to preventable harm. News reporting may uncover what happened. But investigative reporting delves into why it happened and who or what is to blame, so that the problem can be fixed. The more great investigations you read and dissect, the more the patterns emerge, allowing you to start spotting and executing these kinds of stories.”
The key, she said, is to see every story as an opportunity.
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