Nora’s journey from on-the-ground reporting to founding a mission-driven media company
The Story Behind the Longform Lab
The Longform Lab’s origin story starts with the courage of everyday people. As an Emmy-nominated producer and journalist, Nora Neus encountered ordinary people doing their best in extraordinary circumstances. They all had stories worth telling.
While working with citizen journalist Muhammad Najem to author a graphic novel based on his experiences in the Syrian Civil War, Nora developed a passion for helping people tell their stories. Nora also took this as an opportunity to develop the writing processes that she uses with Longform Lab authors.
The Longform Lab was a natural outgrowth of Nora’s people-centered storytelling. Drawing on her experience writing and producing for outlets such as VICE, Teen Vogue, The Washington Post, and CNN, Nora now empowers others to share their stories through a range of writing and editorial services.
Work with Nora at the Longform Lab →
The kind of stories that change the world take time – and a lot of research. Sam helps Longform Lab authors with the fine details that enrich their projects. From archival research to interviews, Sam helps make sure you have what you need for your project to produce layered stories.
Sam’s not new to storytelling. She’s a podcast producer, journalist, and social media manager based in Brooklyn, New York. Her work includes podcast episodes on drag story hour and living with a disability in NYC, a podcast series on her family’s history before, during, and after the Holocaust, and articles on a variety of community-centered topics. Sam’s passion for storytelling guides her in all aspects of her work.
Sam Zachar, Research Assistant
Great stories are collaborative.
Meet the rest of our dedicated team.
At The Longform Lab, we believe that media creation is a collaborative process. We provide guidance that empowers artists to bring their story to life beyond what they may have envisioned on their own.
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The Longform Lab is anti-fascist, anti-racist, pro-LGBTQ+, pro-immigrant, pro-disability justice, and invested in artists receiving high compensation for their work.
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The Longform Lab puts artists and writers first. We bring industry expertise to developing new projects so that we can prioritize artists’ interests above what they might experience at a traditional media development company. Additionally, all content is human-generated.
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These principles guide everything we do.
The Longform Lab is a values-driven media development group.
- From the acknowledgements of Harbingers by Timothy J. Heaphy
“The first and most important person who helped shape this book is my incredibly talented researcher, Nora Neus. Nora provided invaluable assistance to me over the course of this project. Her thorough research added important examples, quotes, and factual support for my ideas and proposals.
“Nora was much more than a researcher, however. She gave me substantive advice about tone, structure, and content throughout the drafting process. She reviewed every word I wrote, kept the narrative focused, and helped me avoid repetition. She encouraged me to add more of my own thoughts and perspectives throughout the book and helped me understand that my personal perspective and experience is the thread that holds these chapters together. I came to trust her judgment and appreciate her thoughtful advice.”
From a Longform Lab Author
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Wherever you are on your storytelling journey, we can support you.
The Longform Lab empowers creators through high-touch writing and editorial services.
