The obsession that editors have for clicks and page-views doesn't always trickle down to the journalists working for them… especially when they're students. Young journalists are happy to have work published with their bylines headed straight for the "clips" file. They don't always give much thought to attracting readers in any great quantity.

But sooner or later, every young journalist has a turning point.

Imagine you've spent weeks, or months, investigating a story. You've interviewed a couple of dozen people. You've spent hours pounding the pavement as part of your research, sometimes in the rain. You've read countless articles on your topic. You've snapped a hundred photos and even created a video. More important, you're now an expert on the issue. You've discovered a new perspective that's never been revealed – and you want people to know! And not just by word-of-mouth, or through a two-second slot on the local news, but by reading your article.

Only problem? You've been so obsessed with reporting that you haven't given a second thought to the best form of publication. And you certainly have been too busy writing to work on coding skills.

That's where Creatavist comes in to save the day.

Creatavist is a publishing software developed by The Atavist, an online publication dedicated to longform, nonfiction journalism. Since 2011 The Atavist has commissioned, edited and published 36 original works. Each sells for $2.99, and can be read online or via the Atavist app. Creatavist allows journalists to put their own work into The Atavist's beautiful publishing design -- for free.

These articles are not meant to be embedded into a website or blog. Instead, they are designed to stand-alone and consume the reader’s full attention. The articles begin with a striking image the size of the screen, along with bold text. As the reader scrolls down, the story unfolds bit by bit through various media: Text, photography, audio, video, maps, links, documents and timelines.

Although it's long been possible to incorporate these different types of elements into a single website page, Creatavist's scrolling function is unique. Instead of clicking around a static page, the reader scrolls down, encountering each element at a precise moment in the story. The different media do not just enhance the story – they help to tell the story.

Part of this scrolling function is called a "parallax" – essentially when various page elements move at different speeds. In Atavist articles, sometimes the text remains in place while the photo scrolls. Or the photo remains at the top of the page while the text scrolls down.

Parallaxes first caught on fire (so to speak) after the New York Times put them to work in "Snow Fall" in 2012. Now they are used in all kinds of websites and are considered the epitome of "high tech" and "professional." (Some say they are overused and ineffective as well, but that's a topic for later.) They are also tricky to code by hand, at least for the busy journalism student.

But no coding is needed for Creatavist. Using a simple interface similar to a Wordpress dashboard, journalists can simply plug in their material and hit "Publish." Of course, the best articles will pay careful attention to layout and the choice of extra elements. They should all help to tell the story and make the topic engaging to readers. They should not be overwhelming, distracting, or – worst – irrelevant.

Using Creativst, a well-reported article can become much more than another "clip." It can succeed at attracting viewers simply through beautiful and engaging design.

Click to read the Creatavist story I developed based on an article I wrote about street food. It is a work in progress.

Send Daina a note at dainabeth@gmail.com, and follow her on Twitter @dainabethcita.