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Topic: Craft of writing
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Article

Dibbler Dingles, Worm Blobs, and Fossilized Poop: Finding Humor in Science

"When science news is filled with crises from climate change to COVID-19, it can feel like there’s nothing left to laugh about. Yet some journalists manage to find humor in science and satisfy our appetites for comic relief. In an email conversation with science journalist Carolyn Wilke, six reporters and science communicators discuss how the process of science can yield funny nuggets."
Article

Dibbler Dingles, Worm Blobs, and Fossilized Poop: Finding Humor in Science

Summary:
"When science news is filled with crises from climate change to COVID-19, it can feel like there’s nothing left to laugh about. Yet some journalists manage to find humor in science and satisfy our appetites for comic relief. In an email conversation with science journalist Carolyn Wilke, six reporters and science communicators discuss how the process of science can yield funny nuggets."
Author:

Carolyn Wilke

Published By:

The Open Notebook

Date:

March 1, 2022

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Video

AI and Science Journalism: An Uneasy Future

"Stephen Ornes, a freelance science writer, three-time winner of the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award, and a Writer in Residence at Vanderbilt University, spoke with Grady College journalism students on Sept. 20, 2025."
Video

AI and Science Journalism: An Uneasy Future

Summary:
"Stephen Ornes, a freelance science writer, three-time winner of the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award, and a Writer in Residence at Vanderbilt University, spoke with Grady College journalism students on Sept. 20, 2025."
Date:

September 30, 2025

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Article

Covering Null Results: How To Turn “Nothing” Into News

"Null results — the lack of evidence in support of a hypothesized effect — can often be dismissed as unnoteworthy, even by scientists themselves. But sometimes, the absence of an effect in a well-designed experiment can challenge existing thinking or have important policy, health, or other implications for readers."
Article

Covering Null Results: How To Turn “Nothing” Into News

Summary:
"Null results — the lack of evidence in support of a hypothesized effect — can often be dismissed as unnoteworthy, even by scientists themselves. But sometimes, the absence of an effect in a well-designed experiment can challenge existing thinking or have important policy, health, or other implications for readers."
Author:

Lucila Pinto

Published By:

The Open Notebook

Date:

September 30, 2025

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Video

Why the Best Science Needs Great Storytelling — Fay Lin

"Fay Lin is a science journalist and Senior Editor at Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), where she covers breakthroughs across biotech with a particular focus on AI and protein design. Expect to learn what distinguishes sexy science stories from boring ones, why mental health for graduate students is in a state of crisis, and how to step away from the familiar path."
Video

Why the Best Science Needs Great Storytelling — Fay Lin

Summary:
"Fay Lin is a science journalist and Senior Editor at Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), where she covers breakthroughs across biotech with a particular focus on AI and protein design. Expect to learn what distinguishes sexy science stories from boring ones, why mental health for graduate students is in a state of crisis, and how to step away from the familiar path."
Date:

September 20, 2025

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Article

From Sketch to Manuscript: A Paleoartist’s Approach to Science Writing

"The meticulous research, visual storytelling, and commitment to accuracy that underpin paleoart offer valuable lessons for science writing. By embracing similar techniques, science writers can craft clear, concise, and engaging narratives that not only inform but also inspire a sense of wonder in their readers. In a world saturated with scientific information, the ability to communicate complex concepts in a way that ignites curiosity and fosters understanding is paramount. The bridge between art and science, exemplified by the work of paleoartists, offers a powerful path forward for effective science communication, ensuring that the stories of our planet’s prehistoric past continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come."
Article

From Sketch to Manuscript: A Paleoartist’s Approach to Science Writing

Summary:
"The meticulous research, visual storytelling, and commitment to accuracy that underpin paleoart offer valuable lessons for science writing. By embracing similar techniques, science writers can craft clear, concise, and engaging narratives that not only inform but also inspire a sense of wonder in their readers. In a world saturated with scientific information, the ability to communicate complex concepts in a way that ignites curiosity and fosters understanding is paramount. The bridge between art and science, exemplified by the work of paleoartists, offers a powerful path forward for effective science communication, ensuring that the stories of our planet’s prehistoric past continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come."
Published By:

Raul Martin School for the Study of Dinosaurs

Date:

March 15, 2024

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Video

BioScience Talks: Science Storytelling, With Kristy Ferraro and Adam Meyer

American Institute of Biological Sciences

"For this episode of BioScience Talks, we were joined by Dr. Kristy Ferraro, who is a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Adam Meyer, a PhD candidate in the Ecosystem Ecology Lab, also at Memorial University. They were here to talk about their recent article in BioScience, 'Beyond hero and villain narratives in ecology and conservation science' (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf085), in which they discuss storytelling and narratives in science writing—and explain which approaches work best."
Video

BioScience Talks: Science Storytelling, With Kristy Ferraro and Adam Meyer

Summary:
"For this episode of BioScience Talks, we were joined by Dr. Kristy Ferraro, who is a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Adam Meyer, a PhD candidate in the Ecosystem Ecology Lab, also at Memorial University. They were here to talk about their recent article in BioScience, 'Beyond hero and villain narratives in ecology and conservation science' (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf085), in which they discuss storytelling and narratives in science writing—and explain which approaches work best."
Organization:

American Institute of Biological Sciences

Date:

July 16, 2025

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Article

Beyond the Gene: Why Metaphor Matters in the Story of Cancer

"Metaphors are more than linguistic tools in science communication. They are framing devices—cognitive shortcuts that shape what we see, what we ignore, and what we imagine as possible. And nowhere is this more apparent than in the long and layered story of cancer."
Article

Beyond the Gene: Why Metaphor Matters in the Story of Cancer

Summary:
"Metaphors are more than linguistic tools in science communication. They are framing devices—cognitive shortcuts that shape what we see, what we ignore, and what we imagine as possible. And nowhere is this more apparent than in the long and layered story of cancer."
Author:

Nicholas Pulliam, PhD

Published By:

PLOS SciComm

Date:

July 29, 2025

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Book

Books on Science Writing

Book

Books on Science Writing

Summary:
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Article

Eight Tips From Environmental Reporters in Covering Climate Crisis

"Eight environmental reporters across the U.S. described how they cover the climate crisis in these days where the media space is overloaded with unverified information and social distrust is growing. Some of these journalists have been working on the beat for just a few years, others for 25 years. The reporters gave advice for those who have just entered or may be thinking of entering into this growing field of climate journalism."
Article

Eight Tips From Environmental Reporters in Covering Climate Crisis

Summary:
"Eight environmental reporters across the U.S. described how they cover the climate crisis in these days where the media space is overloaded with unverified information and social distrust is growing. Some of these journalists have been working on the beat for just a few years, others for 25 years. The reporters gave advice for those who have just entered or may be thinking of entering into this growing field of climate journalism."
Author:

Nikita Ponomarenko

Published By:

Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute

Date:

July 7, 2025

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Article

Science Writing and Story Structures

Erika Hayasaki writes from the 2024 National Association of Science Writers conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, offering resources and books from one of the panel discussions, plus "seven story structures that can be useful for thinking about longform pieces, as well as links to a few examples of each style."

Article

Science Writing and Story Structures

Summary:

Erika Hayasaki writes from the 2024 National Association of Science Writers conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, offering resources and books from one of the panel discussions, plus "seven story structures that can be useful for thinking about longform pieces, as well as links to a few examples of each style."

Author:

Erika Hayasaki

Date:

November 10, 2024

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Article

From Fear to Fascination — A New Insect Narrative

"Media coverage of 'bugs' is often sensationalistic and centered on fear and disgust. But conservation photographer and writer Danae Wolfe says journalists should be highlighting the importance, beauty and plight of insects and spiders. Reporting that offers alternative perspectives on these essential creatures can inspire curiosity and admiration, and encourage efforts to protect them. Wolfe on why to write about insects."
Article

From Fear to Fascination — A New Insect Narrative

Summary:
"Media coverage of 'bugs' is often sensationalistic and centered on fear and disgust. But conservation photographer and writer Danae Wolfe says journalists should be highlighting the importance, beauty and plight of insects and spiders. Reporting that offers alternative perspectives on these essential creatures can inspire curiosity and admiration, and encourage efforts to protect them. Wolfe on why to write about insects."
Author:

Danae Wolfe

Published By:

Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ)

Date:

June 4, 2025

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Article

Risk Journalism: A Guide to Clear Reporting on Any Topic

"This guide is designed for journalists who cover stories about risks in any sector: health, environment, artificial intelligence etc. You will identify the concepts that will help you explain, for example, why false flood alarms occur, the pros and cons of installing a nuclear plant in a certain area, or the uncertainty of a study that finds a particular diet increases the risk of developing cancer."

Article

Risk Journalism: A Guide to Clear Reporting on Any Topic

Summary:

"This guide is designed for journalists who cover stories about risks in any sector: health, environment, artificial intelligence etc. You will identify the concepts that will help you explain, for example, why false flood alarms occur, the pros and cons of installing a nuclear plant in a certain area, or the uncertainty of a study that finds a particular diet increases the risk of developing cancer."

Date:

October 21, 2024

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Article

Placenta-on-a-Chip: How One Reporter Explained the Complex Tech

AHCJ

"As the 2023-2024 Sharon Begley Science Reporting Fellow at STAT, AHCJ member Deborah Balthazar, a freelance journalist, covered several stories about biotechnology. One recent article delved into how researchers are studying the impacts of drugs and toxins on pregnancy using a tiny model of the placenta in the lab, known as placenta-on-a-chip. 

It’s worth a read not only for an update on what’s happening in this fascinating area of investigation but also for Balthazar’s expert descriptions of this microtechnology, likening it to the size of “a rubber eraser, etched with tiny channels through which fluids move.”

Here, she tells AHCJ what inspired her story and offers advice for lively tech writing."

Article

Placenta-on-a-Chip: How One Reporter Explained the Complex Tech

Summary:

"As the 2023-2024 Sharon Begley Science Reporting Fellow at STAT, AHCJ member Deborah Balthazar, a freelance journalist, covered several stories about biotechnology. One recent article delved into how researchers are studying the impacts of drugs and toxins on pregnancy using a tiny model of the placenta in the lab, known as placenta-on-a-chip. 

It’s worth a read not only for an update on what’s happening in this fascinating area of investigation but also for Balthazar’s expert descriptions of this microtechnology, likening it to the size of “a rubber eraser, etched with tiny channels through which fluids move.”

Here, she tells AHCJ what inspired her story and offers advice for lively tech writing."

Organization:

AHCJ

Author:

Karen Blum

Published By:

Association of Health Care Journalists

Date:

September 12, 2024

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Newsletter

Your First Byline

"You want to get an entry-level job in journalism but you don't know where to start. We're here to help." Find tips and advice, and read stories about those who've gone before and how they forged a career in journalism, by Ryan Teague Beckwith, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
Newsletter

Your First Byline

Summary:
"You want to get an entry-level job in journalism but you don't know where to start. We're here to help." Find tips and advice, and read stories about those who've gone before and how they forged a career in journalism, by Ryan Teague Beckwith, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
Category:
For:
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Academic program

Science Writing I: Online Class at UCLA Extension

"Learn what it takes to translate scientific concepts and discoveries into prose that readers can understand and enjoy." Amber Dance, an award-winning freelance science writer based in Southern California, teaches an introduction to science writing at UCLA Extension — evenings PT. Next class will be Winter 2026. Email to receive notification when the class goes live.
Academic program

Science Writing I: Online Class at UCLA Extension

Summary:
"Learn what it takes to translate scientific concepts and discoveries into prose that readers can understand and enjoy." Amber Dance, an award-winning freelance science writer based in Southern California, teaches an introduction to science writing at UCLA Extension — evenings PT. Next class will be Winter 2026. Email to receive notification when the class goes live.
Category:
For:
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Book

Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Medical Writing: An Editor’s Advice

"Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Medical Writing is a useful companion text to comprehensive style guides for the biomedical sciences. This book walks authors through best practices for writing scientific papers and grant proposals in a concise and accessible format. Authors and teachers worldwide will benefit from these shared insights of an experienced scientific editor." This book is available to download for free under a Creative Commons license.
Book

Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Medical Writing: An Editor’s Advice

Summary:
"Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Medical Writing is a useful companion text to comprehensive style guides for the biomedical sciences. This book walks authors through best practices for writing scientific papers and grant proposals in a concise and accessible format. Authors and teachers worldwide will benefit from these shared insights of an experienced scientific editor." This book is available to download for free under a Creative Commons license.
Author:

Deanna Erin Conners

Published By:

Milne Open Textbooks

Date:

October 31, 2024

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Resource Database / Guide

Tip Sheet: The Story Behind Award-Winning Stories — A Conversation With Usha Lee McFarling

CASW Connector

When it comes to finding story ideas, Usha Lee McFarling has a simple tip: “Have your curiosity hat on,” she says. McFarling, national science correspondent for STAT, was the featured guest at an October 9, 2024, CASW Connector Chat. She has won numerous awards throughout her career, including being part of a team that won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in explanatory journalism. Most recently, McFarling was named the recipient of the 2024 Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting. Facilitating the conversation was Steve Padilla, writing coach and Column One editor at the Los Angeles Times.
Resource Database / Guide

Tip Sheet: The Story Behind Award-Winning Stories — A Conversation With Usha Lee McFarling

Summary:
When it comes to finding story ideas, Usha Lee McFarling has a simple tip: “Have your curiosity hat on,” she says. McFarling, national science correspondent for STAT, was the featured guest at an October 9, 2024, CASW Connector Chat. She has won numerous awards throughout her career, including being part of a team that won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in explanatory journalism. Most recently, McFarling was named the recipient of the 2024 Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting. Facilitating the conversation was Steve Padilla, writing coach and Column One editor at the Los Angeles Times.
Organization:

CASW Connector

Date:

October 23, 2024

Category:
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Video

Writing about climate change for kids

The Highlights Foundation

In this virtual event from The Highlights Foundation, authors Pam Courtney, Andrea Loney, and Crystal Allen discussed writing about climate change for children. The conversation identifies ways that "children’s books can offer a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between social justice, racial equity, and caring for our planet."
Video

Writing about climate change for kids

Summary:
In this virtual event from The Highlights Foundation, authors Pam Courtney, Andrea Loney, and Crystal Allen discussed writing about climate change for children. The conversation identifies ways that "children’s books can offer a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between social justice, racial equity, and caring for our planet."
Organization:

The Highlights Foundation

Date:

August 13, 2024

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

Science Reporting Quick Tips — The Open Notebook & SciLine

SciLine, The Open Notebook

"To cover science well, journalists have to enter the scientific world a bit themselves, by reading research papers, interviewing scientists, and evaluating evidence. Whatever your background, these are concrete skills that any journalist can sharpen. To pave the way, The Open Notebook and SciLine have teamed up to distill key science reporting skills into a series of quick-hit resources for journalists with deadlines to meet." The series includes:
  • Addressing Science-Related Misinformation and Disinformation
  • Covering Science-Related Policy
  • Vetting Scientific Sources
  • Vetting Science-Related Claims
  • Go-To Questions for Interviewing Scientists
  • Interviewing Scientist Sources
  • Planning Interviews with Scientist Sources
  • Making Sense of Scientific Studies
  • Stats Terms for Covering Science
  • Finding and Including Diverse Sources
  • Finding Expert Scientific Sources
Resource Database / Guide

Science Reporting Quick Tips — The Open Notebook & SciLine

Summary:
"To cover science well, journalists have to enter the scientific world a bit themselves, by reading research papers, interviewing scientists, and evaluating evidence. Whatever your background, these are concrete skills that any journalist can sharpen. To pave the way, The Open Notebook and SciLine have teamed up to distill key science reporting skills into a series of quick-hit resources for journalists with deadlines to meet." The series includes:
  • Addressing Science-Related Misinformation and Disinformation
  • Covering Science-Related Policy
  • Vetting Scientific Sources
  • Vetting Science-Related Claims
  • Go-To Questions for Interviewing Scientists
  • Interviewing Scientist Sources
  • Planning Interviews with Scientist Sources
  • Making Sense of Scientific Studies
  • Stats Terms for Covering Science
  • Finding and Including Diverse Sources
  • Finding Expert Scientific Sources
Organization:

SciLine, The Open Notebook

Category:
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Video

Talking shop: When debunking climate disinformation gets labeled “censorship”

Covering Climate Now

"Increasingly, disinformation peddlers are protecting their lies by accusing anyone who fact-checks or debunks climate disinformation of censorship, bias, or being anti–free speech and debate. How can journalists preempt such charges, or deal with them, as we continue to tackle climate disinformation on the beat? In this press briefing, co-sponsored by Covering Climate Now and Climate Action Against Disinformation, experts detailed strategies used by disinformers to discredit journalists and how you can protect your reporting and serve your audiences. Kendra Pierre-Louis of Bloomberg; Marco Silva of BBC News; and Wudan Yan, freelance journalist, fact-checker, and entrepreneur, joined moderator Amy Westervelt, executive editor of Drilled, for a one-hour conversation."
Video

Talking shop: When debunking climate disinformation gets labeled “censorship”

Summary:
"Increasingly, disinformation peddlers are protecting their lies by accusing anyone who fact-checks or debunks climate disinformation of censorship, bias, or being anti–free speech and debate. How can journalists preempt such charges, or deal with them, as we continue to tackle climate disinformation on the beat? In this press briefing, co-sponsored by Covering Climate Now and Climate Action Against Disinformation, experts detailed strategies used by disinformers to discredit journalists and how you can protect your reporting and serve your audiences. Kendra Pierre-Louis of Bloomberg; Marco Silva of BBC News; and Wudan Yan, freelance journalist, fact-checker, and entrepreneur, joined moderator Amy Westervelt, executive editor of Drilled, for a one-hour conversation."
Organization:

Covering Climate Now

Date:

June 18, 2024

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Video

Making Obscure Animals and Ecosystems Compelling Main Characters

Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ)

Pandas and forests are out. Moths and peatlands are in. During this session at the 2024 Society of Environmental Journalists annual meeting, a panel of wildlife writers discussed how to get readers deeply invested in stories about wildlife and ecosystems that are not traditionally charismatic. These could be obscure creatures and places that some readers have never heard of, or animals that many people consider icky pests.
Video

Making Obscure Animals and Ecosystems Compelling Main Characters

Summary:
Pandas and forests are out. Moths and peatlands are in. During this session at the 2024 Society of Environmental Journalists annual meeting, a panel of wildlife writers discussed how to get readers deeply invested in stories about wildlife and ecosystems that are not traditionally charismatic. These could be obscure creatures and places that some readers have never heard of, or animals that many people consider icky pests.
Organization:

Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ)

Date:

April 4, 2024

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Article

How ProPublica journalists reported on cancer-causing industrial air pollution

"ProPublica journalists Al Shaw and Lisa Song sifted through tons of data to deliver “Poison in the Air,” an award-winning reporting series in which they — alongside fellow reporters Lylla Younes, Ava Kofman, Maya Miller, and photographer Kathleen Flynn — identify hundreds of industrial air pollution cancer-risk hot spots across the U.S. using publicly available EPA data. They even corrected reporting errors by the agency. "In this 'How I Did It,' Shaw and Song discuss their reporting approach for this series and offer tips to fellow journalists interested in covering industrial cancer risk."
Article

How ProPublica journalists reported on cancer-causing industrial air pollution

Summary:
"ProPublica journalists Al Shaw and Lisa Song sifted through tons of data to deliver “Poison in the Air,” an award-winning reporting series in which they — alongside fellow reporters Lylla Younes, Ava Kofman, Maya Miller, and photographer Kathleen Flynn — identify hundreds of industrial air pollution cancer-risk hot spots across the U.S. using publicly available EPA data. They even corrected reporting errors by the agency. "In this 'How I Did It,' Shaw and Song discuss their reporting approach for this series and offer tips to fellow journalists interested in covering industrial cancer risk."
Author:

Paul Gordon

Date:

May 3, 2024

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Article

Sharpening ideas: From topic to story

"As science writers, we learn about fascinating topics daily, and explaining that complexity is one of the joys of our work. But to sell the story to our editors, we need a good angle and often a compelling narrative approach. This can challenge even experienced writers."
Article

Sharpening ideas: From topic to story

Summary:
"As science writers, we learn about fascinating topics daily, and explaining that complexity is one of the joys of our work. But to sell the story to our editors, we need a good angle and often a compelling narrative approach. This can challenge even experienced writers."
Author:

Dan Ferber

Published By:

The Open Notebook

Date:

July 11, 2012

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Article

Is this a story? How to evaluate your ideas before you pitch

"When a journalist is on the prowl for a new story, every yarn spun by a friend, every press release, every vacation adventure, and every quirky local news item can seem like the beginning of a great story idea. But most glimmers of inspiration turn out to be just that—transient inklings. Only a few will be real gems. The most successful freelancers can quickly sift through their ideas and see whether an idea deserves to exist as a story, and what kind of story to pitch. This evaluation is usually an intuitive process, honed over years of practice. But learning the right questions to ask about your ideas can help accelerate the learning curve."
Article

Is this a story? How to evaluate your ideas before you pitch

Summary:
"When a journalist is on the prowl for a new story, every yarn spun by a friend, every press release, every vacation adventure, and every quirky local news item can seem like the beginning of a great story idea. But most glimmers of inspiration turn out to be just that—transient inklings. Only a few will be real gems. The most successful freelancers can quickly sift through their ideas and see whether an idea deserves to exist as a story, and what kind of story to pitch. This evaluation is usually an intuitive process, honed over years of practice. But learning the right questions to ask about your ideas can help accelerate the learning curve."
Author:

Mallory Pickett

Published By:

The Open Notebook

Date:

May 1, 2018

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Article

Finding the science in any story

"Not all science writing has to be deeply academic or focused on dense concepts. Science writing can be crowd-pleasing, and shareable, and even sarcastic or funny. And it can belong in publications whose focus might seem far removed from science, such as magazines centered on fashion, business, food, public policy, sports, parenting … or just about anything else. For a freelancer, finding a scientific angle on a trending news topic can make a pitch pleasantly unexpected, and more likely to pique an editor’s interest."
Article

Finding the science in any story

Summary:
"Not all science writing has to be deeply academic or focused on dense concepts. Science writing can be crowd-pleasing, and shareable, and even sarcastic or funny. And it can belong in publications whose focus might seem far removed from science, such as magazines centered on fashion, business, food, public policy, sports, parenting … or just about anything else. For a freelancer, finding a scientific angle on a trending news topic can make a pitch pleasantly unexpected, and more likely to pique an editor’s interest."
Author:

Kate Morgan

Published By:

The Open Notebook

Date:

November 27, 2018

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