The 4 Best Reported Features I've Ever Worked On

Writing about everything from a cookie factory to a CIA plot to a legal feud 30,000 feet up in the air, these journalists all used in-depth reporting to take their stories to the next level.

Writing (and editing) a longform reported feature is a bit like riding a roller coaster. You set out with a clear path in mind, then inevitably run into something that throws you for a loop and turns your whole thesis upside down. The best reporters can roll with this momentum and… OK I’m desperately trying to get myself out of this twisted roller coaster metaphor right now! 😂 The point is, good reporting means following the story and going where it takes you.

This summer at Narratively Academy, I’m leading a one-on-one mentorship program on perfecting the longform feature, which got me thinking about some of the best reported stories I’ve ever worked on. If you want to know what goes into a gripping and insightful longform feature, look no further.

1. The Shot in the Eye Squad

By Wil Sands

Wil, an incredible photojournalist who follows breaking news all over the globe, came to this piece via his own traumatic experience: being shot in the eye by police while covering protests in 2020. …