Junod worked as a writer for "Esquire" magazine beginning in 1997. He also worked for "Atlanta" magazine, "Life", "Sports Illustrated". Junod has published award-winning American magazine pieces, including "The Abortionist", "The Rapist Says He's Sorry", "The Falling Man" and a 2001 piece on R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe that humorously used fictionalized information about its subject.