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for university, recent postgrad, and advanced high school longform writers in all genres
Emerging Writers Summer Intensive
Longform Lab Incubator
welcome to the...
Join the virtual six-week Emerging Writers Summer Intensive program with Nora Neus and work on your magazine article, documentary screenplay, podcast script, or even book! (Or anything else that tells a story deeper than a quick surface-level piece.)
Are you a young writer interested in writing a longform story?
June 30 to August 8, 2025
Each Monday, you’ll receive pre-recorded video lessons and a workbook that contains more lessons, examples, and exercises. You'll watch the lessons and complete the workbook at your pace before Friday, then turn it in for my comments. Along the way, you can email me directly with questions or for encouragement.
How does it work?
You can join optional Zoom "office hours" multiple times a week, scheduled at different times and on different dates, to get to know me and your fellow students, ask questions, and get inspired!
We'll also host guest speakers who are industry experts, also at different times and on different dates to accommodate schedules, with recordings made available afterwards.
And if you happen to be in the New York City area, I'll also host (optional!!) IN-PERSON office hours and hang outs at convenient locations.
Perfect for students who have jobs, sports, vacations, or family commitments
Students around the world are welcome to join; the time zone doesn't matter!
Great for neurodivergent folks who might not be into lots of live Zooms, small talk, and required togetherness
This program is mostly remote and asynchronous, which means you can log on and work whenever is convenient for you.
In other words...
Plus!
- have the opportunity to publish their longform piece, or an excerpt, on Longform Lab's e-magazine site, for inclusion on a resume, college application, website, etc.
- AND receive a personalized college recommendation letter or job reference letter from Nora.
Hi! I’m Nora Neus, an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, and freelance journalist. My multidisciplinary work is focused on some of our world’s most challenging issues. It aims to amplify voices and motivate change.
Since I was a kid, I've understood journalism as critical for creating a more just world. I wrote my first hard-hitting piece on the family computer: “Local boy throws corn at sister.” (Yes, I was the sister.) Early in my career, I worked as a local news reporter and continued my journalism work as a producer at CNN for six years. My freelance work now spans television news, documentary filmmaking, graphic novels, non-fiction, podcasts, and most of all... books! I'm the author of four books, two for young readers and two for adults. All of my people-centered storytelling aims to amplify marginalized voices and motivate change.
I have taught one-session writing and journalism courses at the University of Virginia, Harvard Humanitarian Institute, Columbia University, and at middle schools and high schools around the world. I also taught semester-length writing courses at LIM College in New York City. More than anything, I love working with young people.
Learn more about me →
Meet your teacher
Click each week to take a look at THE CURRICULUM.
Here's what we'll cover:
The core of your story
Getting organized
Goal setting
This stage, we'll start off strong by focusing on the most important part of your story: its core. We'll work through exercises together to reveal what that true inner core is and what message you're trying to communicate. We'll also organize whatever writing, notes, or research you have so far, as well as set specific goals for our summer together.
Topic v. story
Medium matters
Characters
Bias & blindspots
This stage, we'll dive deeper into your characters, whether those are real people in a work of nonfiction or journalism, or fictional characters you've created yourself. We'll also begin a discussion of story arc and choosing a medium for your final story, if you haven't already.
Structure masterclass
This stage is all about structure! Instead of working through a few shorter lessons, we'll focus on a structure masterclass. By the end of this week, you'll have a full outline of your story!
Revisiting your SMART goal
Drafting
Writer's block
This stage, we'll focus on drafting, which is another term for writing. This is where the rubber hits the road. You'll write your draft in earnest now. But don't worry- you're not left alone. I'll still be there every step of the way to break it down.
Big picture editing
Cut and paste method
Line editing
This stage we'll talk all about how to edit your longform story. We'll go over both big picture, structural editing techniques and sentence-level line editing tips and tricks. By the end of the stage, you'll have a full revision plan in hand.
Pitching & publishing
Evaluating your SMART goal
Next steps
Finally, the summer intensive will finish up with a lesson all about pitching and publication. You'll finish this stage with a final pitch document for your story, and a chance to pitch me (Nora!) for publication. We'll also take a look at your goal and work thus far, and create an action plan for your next steps in your writing career!
Hear from past participants!
I applied for a scholarship for the Longform Lab because I felt so overwhelmed by all the different moving parts in my writing project. My project is about my life as a woman who was diagnosed with autism at an early age and is often presumed to be autistic, and have yet found a definition of autism that resonates. Sometimes it felt like I was fighting against existing narratives, and it all felt like one step forward, two step back. Since I started The Longform Lab, I went from not knowing what to talk about in what order, to having 40,000+ words queued in 10+ chapters. This scholarship means the world to me and I'm forever grateful to Nora.
-Asaka park, University student & author of Technically autistic
“It was even better than I imagined! I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but it was so manageable and fitting for a wide variety of creative projects. This program has brought much needed structure and focus to all the writing I always want to do. The lessons are clear and quick so there is not so much pressure, and the feedback is invaluable. I thought it was a nice sweet spot of resources (not too many, not too few), plus I knew if I wanted more, I could ask!”
-Michelle A.
-Sam Zachar, POSTGRAD STUDENT, AND HOST OF Shattered Glass
"I can't thank you enough! Now I will be submitting more creative writing pieces to magazines for external publication. Thank you again, I couldn't have done any of this without your help and inspiration."
-Therese M.
Scholarships
The asaka park memorial scholarship
In honor of the late Longform Lab student Asaka Park (d.2024) who completed her memoir, #TechnicallyAutistic, through the incubator program just before her death.
For any writer who has autism, ADHD, or another form of neurodivergence.
marginalized writer ScholarshipS
For any writer who holds a marginalized identity, whether that is in sexuality, race, economic status, immigration status, disability, or another category.
Multiple available.
to apply for any scholarship:
Apply through the usual application process, AND also email me at nora@longformlab.com with a brief description (about a paragraph) of which scholarship you are applying for, why you want it, and what it would mean to you.
need-based ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE ScholarshipS
For any writer who can't afford a full-price program. Available in partial and full scholarships. ("Need" is self-determined; no paperwork or "proof" required.)
Multiple available.
Application
- your school (if applicable)
- your grade (for high school or university students) or graduation date (if postgrad)
- a few sentences about why you want to do this program
- a few sentences on what kind of project you'd like to work on this summer (you can change your mind later!)
- feel free to link to your website, portfolio, writing sample, resume, or other external source
- and anything else you'd like me to know! This is informal on purpose. If applying through another method like video or Zoom or phone call would help express your thoughts best, feel free to email me and we can make arrangements.
Thank you! I'll get back to you within 2-3 business days.
Email nora@longformlab.com
Still have questions? Get in touch!
