Introduction to Journalistic Writing

Paco Herranz introduces himself and tells you about his more-than-30-year career in journalism. He also shows you some of the literary and audiovisual influences that have shaped the way he understands and approaches his profession.

Begin by learning how to think like a journalist. Paco explains the foundations that journalistic writing is built upon before diving into the different genres and formats, like interviews, profile pieces, new reports, and chronicles, along with some tips on how to write each one.

Once you understand the essentials, get to work on your project. Look at a few tools and resources for choosing an interesting and/or current topic. Determine the target audience for your report and search for direct and indirect sources to substantiate it.

Next, start compiling material for your story by gleaning information from your sources. Learn to carefully prepare for an interview with prior research and discover techniques for getting the most out of it when conducted. Move on to writing and editing your story following your teacher's expert advice.

Paco wraps up the course by talking about how journalism has evolved, new trends and the challenges it's facing, as well as adapting texts from paper to digital format. He also gives you a few practical tips on making a living in this exciting profession.