How to Light a Story on Fire
ie please write about the climate crisis.
Fire is powerful thing. When a small one is contained by a fireplace or a ring of rocks in the dirt, the flickering flames compel us into a dreamy trance and we’re unable to look away. When fire is too hot or too close, we jerk back or we run. And when someone lacks motivation, we “light a fire under their ass”—in a figurative sense.
Fire captivates and frightens and forces us to act.
Right now, fire continues to burn through the western United States. Tens of thousands of people were forced to flee as their homes and towns were incinerated. When I left Portland last week, the fire map was so saturated across the state—circles of red crowding and overlapping like a nasty rash—it was hard to gauge how close they were to my route.
Image: A smoky view of a bridge in Portland.
I am perfectly safe on the Oregon coast now. But I am angry. Because none of this is new, and climate change, which has been making fires and other natural disasters more frequent and more powerful for decades, is largely ignored by mainstream media.
And then of course, we have a president who refuses to acknowledge the existence of science. And we live in a society that’s hopelessly addicted to fossil fuels, and we work in an economy by which unsustainable extraction allows rich people to get richer while the rest of us suffer—all of which we know is unsustainable.
We know that climate change is making these fires bigger and stronger. We know that climate change is intensifying other natural disasters, too. Right this moment a hurricane is flooding communities and threatening lives in Florida, fulfilling predictions that this hurricane season will be one of the worst on record. (Every year now, it seems, is the worst on record.) Ever heard of a derecho? Most people hadn’t until one pummeled the midwest in July with a wall of hurricane force winds. These were extremely rare, until recent decades. Derechos have increased ten-fold since 1991.
And yet. So much coverage of these natural disasters continues to ignore the role that climate change plays in all of this devastation.
In a recent issue of her tirelessly informative climate change newsletter, Heated, reporter Emily Atkin pointed out three feature articles from major newspapers about the extreme heat and fires in California—all of them failed to mention climate change.
Now you might be thinking to yourself—but I feel like I’m inundated with news about climate change lately. And that’s because yes, it’s covered by “climate desks” specifically devoted to the issues, and by publications that are dedicated to the environment. So if you follow these things, then you’ll see it. And, yes, the fires have now gotten bad enough that some major publications have connected the dots and put climate change on the front page.
Fire is very good front-page material.
But in the coming weeks, these fires will die down. And conversation about the ongoing climate crisis will, too. Once again they’ll be pushed back to the science section, or found only in the niche publications that are only read by people who are already very concerned about the climate. We need EVERYONE to be very concerned about the climate. Like, even the people who only watch CNN. (If they only watch Fox then honestly there’s probably no hope.)
So when the fires die down, that’s when it’s up to all of us. Writers can keep spreading stories that inspire action. The burning embers of anger in those of us who are really angry about all of this can keep this conversation going.
I believe it’s my job to do that. And I believe it’s your job, too.
I am not a climate scientist. You probably aren’t either. But if you are reading this newsletter then you are probably a writer. And just about every story that’s happening on planet Earth right now is impacted by the fact that our home planet is becoming increasingly inhospitable. I believe we are all responsible for acknowledging that in our work.
Perhaps that sounds extreme. If you write about fashion or travel or technology, how can you be expected to slip facts about melting ice caps or mass extinction into your stories?
We’re all just trying to earn a paycheck, right?
The thing is, so many stories are incomplete when climate change is ignored. The connection won’t always be obvious, but everything we write about exists on a planet that is rapidly changing. And you won’t always have a chance to publish an explanation of that connection, but more stories should because every story we cover takes place amongst an atmosphere that will threaten our very existence if we do nothing to curb our dependence on fossil fuels. More of us have GOT to start writing about how the climate impacts everything else.
I also believe that when you have all of the information, you can’t ignore it. You see it everywhere. And it becomes increasingly difficult to write stories about fashion or travel or technology or whatever else without acknowledging the obvious connection. You’ll be a better writer for it.
So I have a challenge for you: Light your stories on fire. And by that I mean, consider how climate change plays a role in whatever you’re covering, and consider how whatever you’re writing about contributes to climate change. I promise, it’s always there.
Even if you’re not writing big feature-y stories, you can still look for climate change in your work. If you’re writing for brands, how are they addressing the crisis? How are they working to decrease their impact on the planet? And if they’re not, do you really want to be writing for them?
And listen, I promise writing about the climate crisis doesn’t have to mean wallowing in despair every time we open our laptops. You can write about joy, too. You can write about sports and sex and the smell of freshly baked cookies. To remind people of joy is also to remind them of what we stand to lose.
Just keep the fire in the back of your mind.
So this is my plea to all writers. Please write about climate change. Learn about climate change. Consider the ways colonialism and capitalism have shaped our perspectives and influenced our work and led us to this place where fire decimates huge swaths of the country and marginalized communities suffer the worst of it all. Antagonize the intersections. Dig through the ashes.
You’ve heard that every story needs a hook, right? And that a pitch with a timely hook is more compelling to most editors than one without?
There is nothing more timely than climate change. It is happening all the time, and it is always urgent.
Use your stories to captivate and to frighten and to force people to act. Remind them of joy, and remind them of all we stand to lose. It’s everything.
Ready to start writing about the climate crisis? Here are some places to start:
Everyone on planet Earth should read Uninhabitable Earth. It was the book that made me quit my job to write about the environment. It’s a compelling and deeply disturbing overview of climate change that offers a ton of facts and science without overcomplicating anything. It will definitely light a fire under your ass.
The Society of Environmental Journalists offers great resources for covering climate issues, including webinars, annual conferences, and a digital news magazine with tips and tools for covering environmental issues. If you become a member, you’ll also receive daily round-ups of climate headlines and press releases about important stories.
Emily Atkin’s newsletter Heated is an awe-inspiring example of the critical role independent journalism plays in calling attention to climate change. She is breaking stories and taking names.
Mary Heglar and Amy Westervelt’s podcast Hot Take takes a critical look at how the mainstream media does and (more often) does not adequately address climate change. They interview writers on how climate intersects with all kinds of issues and writing, and they will inspire you to get in on the conversation.
Keep up with publications that are doing the work to cover climate change in big and nuanced ways. Look at how environmental publications are covering these stories, and how more general publications are covering them. What’s missing? What can you contribute? Here are some to start with: Grist, Inside Climate News, DeSmog Blog, Scientific American, Sierra, Propublica, The Guardian
Get involved with your local climate activism group. These organizations can offer SO MANY STORY IDEAS. Every time I go to a 350PDX meeting, I leave with story ideas and motivation.
Keep at it and take care of yourself. I know it’s hard. I know it’s exhausting. You’re doing great.
Stay inspired,
Britany
And if you’re not already subscribed to this newsletter, I hope you’ll consider signing up. Because I won’t stop talking about writing about climate change. And if you’re trying to make it work as a freelance writer, I hope I can help you remember that your work can make a real difference out there.