Julia Moreira
(She/Her)
Augsburg
As seen in:
United Nations,
Gazeta do Povo,
Dialnet - Universidad de La Rioja,
Tribuna do Paraná,
Folha de Londrina
Covers:
Culture, identity, migration, gender, fashion, media, politics (Brazil & LatAm), language, storytelling, literature, aesthetics, internet behavior, soft power, contemporary feminism.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Freelancing, of course. Pitching stories, chasing sources, and learning the difference between writing for yourself and writing for an editor. Usually the hard way.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Only for aesthetic purposes.
How is social media changing news?
It blurred the line between visibility and relevance. Now the loudest story often gets the headline, not the most important one.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Whoever wrote Carrie Bradshaw’s column. Zero reporting, questionable deadlines, but somehow made a living off it. Aspirational in a deeply unjournalistic way.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means asking questions people don’t expect and actually waiting for the answer. It means getting interested in things that don’t concern you and learning how to listen without rushing to explain. It means trusting that every story, no matter how small, is trying to tell you something if you know how to pay attention.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
#FreelanceLife. Equal parts tragic and accurate.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I prefer to be pitched via email, with a clear and relevant angle that aligns with my areas of coverage. Brief context about the story and why it’s a good fit is always appreciated.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive), Notion, Trello, Canva, Figma (basic), Substack, WordPress, Mailchimp, Meta Business Suite, ChatGPT, Otter.ai (for transcription), Grammarly, and Adobe Express.
I also work with translation tools, voice-to-text apps, and social media analytics platforms to support multilingual and cross-platform storytelling.
What's your favorite social network?
At the moment, Substack.
Who do you wish followed you?
Fran Lebowitz, but she wouldn’t. So I’ll settle for editors, curious readers, and anyone who still believes words can shift perspective.
Why did you become a journalist?
Because someone said “you’re good with words” and I took it way too seriously. Luckily I did. It gave me a reason to keep asking questions and turning curiosity into work.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I wrote cultural columns — reviewing films, plays, and books — and also reported on local events and school life. It taught me how journalism highlights the value of community, and how paying attention to what’s around you is often the best way to learn the craft.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Probably my undergraduate thesis, where I exchanged letters with women from Brazil’s second-wave feminist movement, most of them in their 70s and 80s. It was a way to bridge generations and learn to listen to those who had walked much further before I even arrived.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Learn to really listen. Most people don’t. That alone already puts you ahead.
Also: get used to rejection and bad coffee.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Weekdays, preferably mid-morning (CET). I check emails regularly and respond to relevant pitches.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The one that respected my time, knew what I write about, and came with a clear, relevant angle.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Still waiting for it. But I think the ones that confuse a press release with a story are strong contenders.
What's your favorite drink?
Expresso Martini.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
When I’m not at my computer, I’m reading, walking aimlessly, or watching films, series, and investigative podcasts like it’s part of the job. Sometimes, it is. Also negotiating with my cat Nora about who really runs the house.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Lately, I’ve been reading a lot on Substack. I like when a writer’s voice survives the formatting.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That journalists are here to give answers. We’re mostly trained to ask better questions.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.