Narratively does long-form journalism right

In December, the New York Times published Snow Fall, a gorgeous multimedia experiment in interactive reporting. Minds were blown.

“Snow Fall” is impressive, sure, but keep in mind the project required six months, a 16-person team, and cost over a million dollars to produce.

New York’s Narratively produces similarly excellent long-form journalism, with high-design and interactive elements included, on a significantly smaller budget.

While reporting for the Times and Wall Street Journal, Noah Rosenberg – Narratively’s founder and editor-in-chief – always had a love for human-centered stories. “When the financial crisis hit,” Rosenberg said, “and the major newspapers crumbled, I was afraid this type of storytelling would get passed over.”

Inspired to create a new platform that would tell the real and bold narratives of New Yorkers, Rosenberg and co-founder Brendan Spiegel launched a Kickstarter campaign, eventually raising almost $54,000

“It was a lot of work,” Rosenberg said. “I learned to respect and fear the NPR fundraisers who do this full time. We exceeded our goal, but it was a slog.”

Since launching in September 2012, Narratively has grown from a small team meeting in local bars to a fast-growing community of over 250 contributors.

Got a piece to pitch? From Syracuse to Saigon, Narratively is looking for incredible, untold stories. They’re also looking for sales gurus – get in touch with them here.

Now go forth (and tell it like it is).

Nitty Gritty:

3.5MM: # of page views for “Snow Fall”

10k: # of times the piece was shared on Twitter

2.99: Cost of the piece’s Kindle Single edition