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.
People-centered Stories for a more equitable world
I explore challenging issues through a trauma-informed lens because, ultimately, this work is about hope. Hope for 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.) My work now spans television news, documentary filmmaking, graphic novels, non-fiction, and podcasts. All of my people-centered storytelling aims to amplify marginalized voices and motivate change.
My passion for ethical journalism as a critical component of democracy has taken me from local news to CNN. Now I’m continuing my work as a freelance journalist, producer, and author to reach adult and young people through national publications, books, and speaking engagements.
Since I was a kid, I've understood journalism as critical for creating a more just world.
A values-driven freelance journalist
24 Hours at the Capitol
An Oral History of the January 6th Insurrection
On sale:
December 30, 2025
My new book:
The 24 Hours in Charlottesville author offers a minute-by-minute account of the January 6 riots through never-before-heard stories of those who were there
Neus goes beyond mainstream reporting to reveal important truths about the US white nationalist movement
This bracing account reconstructs what it was actually like in and around the Capitol during those 24 hours.
Neus’s sources include original interviews, court documents, firsthand accounts, the US Capitol Historical Society’s oral history project on the insurrection, and the work of Tim Heaphy, chief investigator of the congressional January 6 Select Committee.
January 6 was largely planned right out in the open, but lawmakers and government officials underestimated the threat in part because it was coming from white people. Neus examines the underlying racial implications of not only the attack itself, but also in the planning and coordination of the response.
Check Out My WOrk:
I write and produce on topics including the war in Ukraine, race and policing in America, and white nationalism.
I started my career reporting local news in Charlottesville. Then, I produced over 3,400 hours of live television at CNN in New York. Now, I'm a freelance reporter and author covering major national and international news for outlets including the Washington Post, POLITICO Magazine, VICE News, Teen Vogue, The Guardian, CNN, Trails Magazine, and more.
From local news to the top cable news network, I’ve been on the ground and in the room for some of the biggest stories of the past decade.
One of my goals as a writer is to help people create meaningful connections with challenging issues. I write and speak on a variety of topics from modern journalism to graphic novel writing. I offer hands-on workshops for K-12 students and a variety of book talks for adult audiences.
Do you want to equip your community to navigate complex challenges?
Community engagement is the heart of a thriving democracy.
Do you have a story to share with the world but find you’re not sure where to start? Over the course of my career, I’ve developed tried and true techniques for turning an idea into a narrative worth sharing. Whether you’re working on a documentary, narrative podcast, novel, or nonfiction writing, I’m excited to support you through my editorial services and media company, Longform Lab Media Group.
Need help with your own writing?