Chris Walker

AboutWriting
Podcasts 
Freelance ServicesPressContact

  • Freelance Services

    To be a self-employed journalist in the 21st Century is to be a jack of all trades. While I've usually got one or two of my own projects cooking, I'm also open to contract work. Depending on your project, I'm ready to weild my keyboard, audio skills, investigative chops, or interviewing finesse to bring nonfiction stories to life—as well as make sure they're factually sound. I offer services-for-hire in the following areas:

  • Podcast Producing

    I've worn hats as a host, creator, producer, and audio editor for both narrative- and talk show-styled podcasts

    broken image
    broken image
    broken image

     

    "I was thrilled to have the chance to work with Chris on a short series for our daily news and culture podcast City Cast Denver. He's one of Denver's top investigative journalists, and his work for us was nothing short of immaculate. Great storyteller. Great producer. Easy to work with." — Paul Karolyi, Senior Executive Producer City Cast Denver

     

    “When we committed to developing a podcast of our own, we knew we didn’t have the expertise, experience or equipment to produce a high-quality product. Working with Chris gave us exactly that, allowing our team to focus on identifying compelling stories and sharing the podcast with our key audiences.” — Chris Yankee, senior director of research communications at the University of Colorado Boulder.

     

    I love working on podcasts because it's such a team sport. While I've taken lead on a couple podcasts of my own, those shows wouldn't have been possible without the close collaboration of talented producers and editors. That's why I've begun to offer those technical and support services as a contractor, providing many of the same skills that I teach students at Lighthouse Writers Workshop in my podcasting and audiostorytelling class. If you're interested in employing my services as a podcast producer and discussing a quote, please contact me. I can bring the following skillsets:

    • Interview prep: I'll suggest / track down relevant guests for your host to interview, and help prepare questions.
    • Research / Field interviews: If you're creating a narrative show, I can be part of the reporting team that goes out and gathers information and interviews with sources
    • Recording assistance: handling the technical aspects of recording
    • Audio editing & post-production: I'm adept in most established DAWs like Adobe Audition, as well as emerging software like Descript.
    • Interview edits: If you've got a talk show and are trying to cut down, say, a 45-minute interview so that it fits into a 25-minute show, I have a lot of experience making editorial judgments on how to do that while maintaining a natural flow in the recorded conversation.
    • Music: Though I'm not a composer (I highly suggest hiring one if you have the budget), I do know where to find Royalty-free tunes and have a good ear for where to tastefully mix in music.
    • Archival tape research: Want to include clips of old news broadcasts or other archival material in your show? I can help scour the Internet and track down those bits of tape to give your podcast an audio-rich listenting experience.   

  • Fact-Checking

    With my background in magazines, where fact-checking originated, I'm encouraged to see more creators and production companies taking up the practice. Fact-checking isn't just about ticking off a media lawyer's boxes or establishing peace-of-mind; it signals that your journalism is authoritative, accurate, and can be relied upon by future researchers. In today's noisy and error-filled media environment, fact-checking conveys trust.

     

    I am available to fact-check nonfiction articles, podcasts, books, and documentaries.

  • Writing and Editing

    This is a true story.

     

    If you're seeking a pen-for-hire, I bring over 13 years of writing, reporting, and editing experience to the page. My speciality is narrative longform stories, especially magazine pieces and digital features (see writing portfolio). I've also served as a story editor on various projects, helping other writers craft stories with narrative arcs that have pace, suspense, and stakes. Please inquire at my contact page if you are looking for:

     

    Editing podcast or documentary scripts. Writing for the ear is different than writing for the eye, and listeners process information differently when they hear it as opposed to read it. I can work with hosts and writers to make sure your scripted show sounds great in someone's earbuds. If the story is serialized—spread out over a limited-run series—I'll also make sure there's a strong narrative arc between episodes that makes audiences want to binge the whole series.

    Writing or editing narrative features. If you're an editor at a magazine or website and would like to assign a story to me, I'm interested to hear how I might report and write that for you. I'm particularly drawn to adventure stories and profiles of people whose obsessions have led them to lead incredible lives. OR, if your publication is short-staffed and needs editing help, I could potentially step in as a contributing editor. Let's talk.

    Reporting local news. While I've stepped away from doing much daily journalism, I'm potentially interested in short assignments for your publication, particularly if the story is local to me in Colorado and the subject matter falls into areas (criminal justice, homelessness, music, drug policy, true crime) that I'm already knowledgeable about and well-sourced in.

    Cookie Use
    We use cookies to ensure a smooth browsing experience. By continuing we assume you accept the use of cookies.
    Learn More