Justin Wolf
(He/Him)
- Freelance Writer, Freelance
- Creator and Contributor, Waste to Value
- Creator and Contributor, Waste to Value (Podcast)
Biddeford, Maine, Portland
As seen in:
Waste to Value,
Waste to Value (Podcast),
Medium,
Fast Company,
ArchDaily,
Yahoo,
designboom,
The Architect's Newspaper,
Metropolis Magazine,
Architectural Record,
The American Institute of Architects,
EnergySage
and
Covers:
Green Buildings, Energy Policy, Waste to Value, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, Regenerative Design, Climate Change, Building Code, Energy Code
Freelance writer/content strategist for AEC industry; bylines in @entermn, @CommEdgeCollab, @MetropolisMag, @ArchRecord, @ArchDaily, @WrightTaliesin & more
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Art critic
Have you ever used a typewriter?
For work? No
How is social media changing news?
Democratizing it in many ways, but also diluting the impact of real journalism. Hackery and AI sludge are taking over.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) from "The Paper" (1994)
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It's a privilege
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
n/a
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Squarespace, Riverside, Zoom, Calendly, Substack, LinkedIn
What's your favorite social network?
LinkedIn, but Substack is gaining on it.
Who do you wish followed you?
Elizabeth Kolbert, Scott Galloway, Guy Raz
Why did you become a journalist?
I love writing, research, and connecting with subject matter experts
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Briefly. I wrote a couple pieces my senior year. Can't remember the topics.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
At present, the stories in my podcast "Waste to Value"
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Writers write. Do it for the love of writing. If you're persistent and authentic (and accountable), you'll find your audience.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Early in the week, preferably morning hours
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The one with information that's actually newsworthy and doesn't concern a subject that I recently wrote about. Be original!
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
The ones that pitch me on a subject that I just wrote about.
What's your favorite drink?
water
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
My backyard
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Green Building Advisor, Common Edge, Ezra Klein Show
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
It relies more on conjecture and opinion than scientific fact
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.