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Topic: Pitching and publishing
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Article

How to pitch to a science editor

"Successfully pitching a story to a science editor requires a wide range of skills, from researching their outlet to communicating with them in a professional way. In this practical guide, we have compiled advice from six different science editors with extensive experience in commissioning pieces for a number of different outlets including Science, BBC Focus Magazine, New Scientist, the Mail and Guardian and SciDev.Net. Following the advice in this guide will increase the chances of getting your story accepted by an editor."
Article

How to pitch to a science editor

Summary:
"Successfully pitching a story to a science editor requires a wide range of skills, from researching their outlet to communicating with them in a professional way. In this practical guide, we have compiled advice from six different science editors with extensive experience in commissioning pieces for a number of different outlets including Science, BBC Focus Magazine, New Scientist, the Mail and Guardian and SciDev.Net. Following the advice in this guide will increase the chances of getting your story accepted by an editor."
Published By:

SciDev.Net

Date:

September 14, 2015

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Article

Pitching errors: How not to pitch

"Writing a good pitch is really tough. Writing a bad one is easy. Editors see the same mistakes over and over again, even from good writers." Seven editors from a variety of publications had a roundtable, email discussion about how not to pitch. This resulting article is full of do's and don't and practical advice for what not to do when pitching a story.
Article

Pitching errors: How not to pitch

Summary:
"Writing a good pitch is really tough. Writing a bad one is easy. Editors see the same mistakes over and over again, even from good writers." Seven editors from a variety of publications had a roundtable, email discussion about how not to pitch. This resulting article is full of do's and don't and practical advice for what not to do when pitching a story.
Author:

Laura Helmuth

Published By:

The Open Notebook

Date:

January 4, 2012

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Video

International opportunities for Latin American science journalists

RedMPC

In this webinar, a session from the Symposium to Advance Science Communication and Journalism in Chile (SAPeCCT) 2023, a panel of editors at science publications discussed freelance opportunities for writers in Latin America. The panel included Debbie Ponchner, Knowable en español; David Malakoff, Science; Rachel Courtland, MIT Technology Review; Lynne Walker, Stories Without Borders; Lauren Wolf, Nature; and Siri Carpenter, The Open Notebook.
Video

International opportunities for Latin American science journalists

Summary:
In this webinar, a session from the Symposium to Advance Science Communication and Journalism in Chile (SAPeCCT) 2023, a panel of editors at science publications discussed freelance opportunities for writers in Latin America. The panel included Debbie Ponchner, Knowable en español; David Malakoff, Science; Rachel Courtland, MIT Technology Review; Lynne Walker, Stories Without Borders; Lauren Wolf, Nature; and Siri Carpenter, The Open Notebook.
Organization:

RedMPC

Date:

April 4, 2023

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Article

Ask TON: How much time should I spend preparing a pitch?

Writers and editors at The Open Notebook respond to a question from a reader: "What is a normal amount of time to spend on preparing pitches for magazine feature stories? I’ve heard people say they spend as little as an hour, and others say they conduct multiple interviews before pitching—and I assume they then spend a good deal of time writing the pitch itself. What’s usually the best approach, practically speaking?”
Article

Ask TON: How much time should I spend preparing a pitch?

Summary:
Writers and editors at The Open Notebook respond to a question from a reader: "What is a normal amount of time to spend on preparing pitches for magazine feature stories? I’ve heard people say they spend as little as an hour, and others say they conduct multiple interviews before pitching—and I assume they then spend a good deal of time writing the pitch itself. What’s usually the best approach, practically speaking?”
Published By:

The Open Notebook

Date:

November 10, 2015

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Article

How to successfully pitch The New York Times (or, well, anyone else)

In this article, Tim Herrera (who was, at the time, Smarter Living editor at the New York Times) explains some common do's and don't's of pitching freelance journalism articles. He writes: "After consulting with about a dozen editors who commission stories at publications ranging from small, niche blogs to national magazines and newspapers, I’ve pulled together the six most common mistakes freelancers make when pitching — and what you can do to impress an editor."
Article

How to successfully pitch The New York Times (or, well, anyone else)

Summary:
In this article, Tim Herrera (who was, at the time, Smarter Living editor at the New York Times) explains some common do's and don't's of pitching freelance journalism articles. He writes: "After consulting with about a dozen editors who commission stories at publications ranging from small, niche blogs to national magazines and newspapers, I’ve pulled together the six most common mistakes freelancers make when pitching — and what you can do to impress an editor."
Author:

Tim Herrera

Published By:

NiemanLab

Date:

October 22, 2018

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Video

Out of this world: Writing space books

DC Science Writers Association

"From the moon to the far reaches of the universe, there’s a lot to cover in the realm of space science. How do authors find book topics, research them, and put them together into engaging works? In this panel, hosted by DCSWA on November 8, 2023, hear from preeminent science writers David W. Brown, author of “The Mission,” and Jaime Green, author of “The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos.” The panel was moderated by Liz Landau, science writer and DCSWA board member."
Video

Out of this world: Writing space books

Summary:
"From the moon to the far reaches of the universe, there’s a lot to cover in the realm of space science. How do authors find book topics, research them, and put them together into engaging works? In this panel, hosted by DCSWA on November 8, 2023, hear from preeminent science writers David W. Brown, author of “The Mission,” and Jaime Green, author of “The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos.” The panel was moderated by Liz Landau, science writer and DCSWA board member."
Organization:

DC Science Writers Association

Date:

November 9, 2023

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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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Article

A book publishing primer for science writers

"From developing an idea, to crafting a proposal and selling it to a publisher, to actually writing the thing itself, publishing a book is an arduous process. Thankfully, you can draw on the successful experiences of other science writers who have traversed the tricky terrain of book publishing." This story describes the early process of book publishing, including identifying an idea, finding an agent, writing a book proposal, and finding a publisher.
Article

A book publishing primer for science writers

Summary:
"From developing an idea, to crafting a proposal and selling it to a publisher, to actually writing the thing itself, publishing a book is an arduous process. Thankfully, you can draw on the successful experiences of other science writers who have traversed the tricky terrain of book publishing." This story describes the early process of book publishing, including identifying an idea, finding an agent, writing a book proposal, and finding a publisher.
Author:

Darren Incorvaia

Published By:

The Open Notebook

Date:

December 12, 2023

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Video

How to pitch climate change stories to editors

International Center for Journalists

This webinar discusses how journalists can wade through the extensive public discussions around climate change to pitch stories that are urgent and impactful. The event featured Greg Mott, sustainability editor at POLITICO, who shared tips for story pitches he would like to see.
Video

How to pitch climate change stories to editors

Summary:
This webinar discusses how journalists can wade through the extensive public discussions around climate change to pitch stories that are urgent and impactful. The event featured Greg Mott, sustainability editor at POLITICO, who shared tips for story pitches he would like to see.
Organization:

International Center for Journalists

Date:

November 1, 2022

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Resource Database / Guide

Sci Comm Resources — Dan Vahaba

Dan Vahaba is the director of communications at the Duke University Institute for Brain Sciences. He compiled this Google doc full of science writing resources, including articles and books to read, tips about how to pitch, conferences, academic journals, newsletters, and more.
Resource Database / Guide

Sci Comm Resources — Dan Vahaba

Summary:
Dan Vahaba is the director of communications at the Duke University Institute for Brain Sciences. He compiled this Google doc full of science writing resources, including articles and books to read, tips about how to pitch, conferences, academic journals, newsletters, and more.
Author:

Dan Vahaba

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

SciCommers Community Resources

Boston University

This spreadsheet shares resources and programs from the SciCommers community, a network of undergrads, graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and industry researchers who are interested in improving their science communication skills. In the database, you can find: links to interviews with expert science writers, a guide to pitching stories, a list of science writing articles, stories by SciCommers, and more.
Resource Database / Guide

SciCommers Community Resources

Summary:
This spreadsheet shares resources and programs from the SciCommers community, a network of undergrads, graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and industry researchers who are interested in improving their science communication skills. In the database, you can find: links to interviews with expert science writers, a guide to pitching stories, a list of science writing articles, stories by SciCommers, and more.
Organization:

Boston University

Published By:

SciCommers

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Article

Top tips for breaking into narrative journalism

AHCJ

Journalist Barbara Mantel hosted a webinar on breaking into narrative journalism with panelists Jane C. Hu, a freelance writer based in Seattle; Brady Huggett, the enterprise editor at Spectrum; and Pamela Weintraub, the senior editor for science and psychology at Aeon and the co-editor in chief of OpenMind magazine. This article rounds up the some key takeaways from the webinar. "Hu shared her experience researching, pitching and getting funding for these character-rich, complicated stories. Huggett and Weintraub talked about the hard work that goes into editing them. All three offered valuable advice to freelancers."
Article

Top tips for breaking into narrative journalism

Summary:
Journalist Barbara Mantel hosted a webinar on breaking into narrative journalism with panelists Jane C. Hu, a freelance writer based in Seattle; Brady Huggett, the enterprise editor at Spectrum; and Pamela Weintraub, the senior editor for science and psychology at Aeon and the co-editor in chief of OpenMind magazine. This article rounds up the some key takeaways from the webinar. "Hu shared her experience researching, pitching and getting funding for these character-rich, complicated stories. Huggett and Weintraub talked about the hard work that goes into editing them. All three offered valuable advice to freelancers."
Organization:

AHCJ

Author:

Barbara Mantel

Published By:

Covering Health

Date:

September 5, 2023

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Community

Authors of Nonfiction Books in Progress

The Authors of Nonfiction Books in Progress group, created by science journalist and author Kristin Hugo, hosts free, virtual monthly meetings during which participants share progress toward their goals and exchange advice about topics such as money, agents, publishers, ethics, resources, and more. This group is for people who are writing a nonfiction, non-memoir book or are seriously ready to start the process, with a topic in mind. Most participants are science writers.
Community

Authors of Nonfiction Books in Progress

Summary:
The Authors of Nonfiction Books in Progress group, created by science journalist and author Kristin Hugo, hosts free, virtual monthly meetings during which participants share progress toward their goals and exchange advice about topics such as money, agents, publishers, ethics, resources, and more. This group is for people who are writing a nonfiction, non-memoir book or are seriously ready to start the process, with a topic in mind. Most participants are science writers.
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Resource Database / Guide

Media outlets that publish science stories

This list of media outlets that publish science stories was assembled and is maintained by Robin Lloyd, a freelance writer and contributing editor for Scientific American.
Resource Database / Guide

Media outlets that publish science stories

Summary:
This list of media outlets that publish science stories was assembled and is maintained by Robin Lloyd, a freelance writer and contributing editor for Scientific American.
Author:

Robin Lloyd

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

Pitch Database

The Open Notebook's pitch database includes more than 250 actual, successful story pitches from science writers, plus links to the resulting published stories. Pitches may be searched by publication, year, story type, and author.
Resource Database / Guide

Pitch Database

Summary:
The Open Notebook's pitch database includes more than 250 actual, successful story pitches from science writers, plus links to the resulting published stories. Pitches may be searched by publication, year, story type, and author.
Published By:

The Open Notebook

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

JourLance – Connecting science journalists with global opportunities

SciComm X

"JourLance is a dynamic platform that connects talented journalists with publishers to create high-quality, diverse projects covering science, technology, environment, health, innovations, and sustainability. At JourLance, our mission is to democratize the media and bring new, unique voices to media organizations. We believe in equal opportunities for all, providing freelancing opportunities for journalists worldwide and empowering publishers to access the best science journalists without location limitations. With our platform, we strive to make the world of science and technology more accessible, diverse, and inclusive."
Resource Database / Guide

JourLance – Connecting science journalists with global opportunities

Summary:
"JourLance is a dynamic platform that connects talented journalists with publishers to create high-quality, diverse projects covering science, technology, environment, health, innovations, and sustainability. At JourLance, our mission is to democratize the media and bring new, unique voices to media organizations. We believe in equal opportunities for all, providing freelancing opportunities for journalists worldwide and empowering publishers to access the best science journalists without location limitations. With our platform, we strive to make the world of science and technology more accessible, diverse, and inclusive."
Organization:

SciComm X

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Resource Database / Guide

AHCJ Freelance Center

AHCJ

AHCJ offers a number of resources for freelance journalists working on health-related topics. Unlike other resources from the association, this resource center is freely available for non-members. "Our resources include job postings, advice articles, webcasts, links and more, and we look to members like you to offer suggestions, write tip sheets and expand our available links. We also have an active Freelance Committee interested in pursuing more services for you."
Resource Database / Guide

AHCJ Freelance Center

Summary:
AHCJ offers a number of resources for freelance journalists working on health-related topics. Unlike other resources from the association, this resource center is freely available for non-members. "Our resources include job postings, advice articles, webcasts, links and more, and we look to members like you to offer suggestions, write tip sheets and expand our available links. We also have an active Freelance Committee interested in pursuing more services for you."
Organization:

AHCJ

Category:
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Resource Database / Guide

Writing op-eds – 500 Women Scientists

500 Women Scientists

A list of tips, advice, and ideas for writing science-focused opinion pieces, including a guide to pitching op-eds to publications. Assembled by 500 Women Scientists, the guide includes links to additional op-ed guides from other organizations.
Resource Database / Guide

Writing op-eds – 500 Women Scientists

Summary:
A list of tips, advice, and ideas for writing science-focused opinion pieces, including a guide to pitching op-eds to publications. Assembled by 500 Women Scientists, the guide includes links to additional op-ed guides from other organizations.
Organization:

500 Women Scientists

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Organization

The Xylom

The Xylom

"Founded in 2018, and based in Atlanta, The Xylom is a non-profit, Gen-Z-run newsroom covering the communities influencing and being shaped by science. We do so through an award-winning collection of original personal essays, longform science features, and resources for early-career science professionals." The Xylom primarily publishes science students and early-career science writers. Its writers often go on to enter fellowship programs and win awards.
Organization

The Xylom

Summary:
"Founded in 2018, and based in Atlanta, The Xylom is a non-profit, Gen-Z-run newsroom covering the communities influencing and being shaped by science. We do so through an award-winning collection of original personal essays, longform science features, and resources for early-career science professionals." The Xylom primarily publishes science students and early-career science writers. Its writers often go on to enter fellowship programs and win awards.
Organization:

The Xylom

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Newsletter

Science Writing News Roundup

Science writer Marianna Limas rounds up the latest news, opportunities, resources, videos, and events related to science writing and science journalism in this free weekly newsletter. A paid subscriber option offers even more job opportunities.
Newsletter

Science Writing News Roundup

Summary:
Science writer Marianna Limas rounds up the latest news, opportunities, resources, videos, and events related to science writing and science journalism in this free weekly newsletter. A paid subscriber option offers even more job opportunities.
Author:

Marianna Limas

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Training program

Science Journalism Master Classes

The Open Notebook

The Open Notebook's Science Journalism Master Classes allow students to learn key science writing skills remotely and asynchronously. (Lessons are delivered to the student's email either daily or weekly after they sign up.) The courses were developed in collaboration with Emily Laber-Warren, who heads the Health and Science Reporting program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, and also incorporate insights from hundreds of TON articles. The Master Classes are free, thanks to a generous grant from The Kavli Foundation. As of spring 2023, the courses include: "How to Find an Angle for Any Science Story," "How to Pitch Science Stories That Sell," "How to Spot Scientific Hype and Misinformation," and "How to Ace the Study Story."
Training program

Science Journalism Master Classes

Summary:
The Open Notebook's Science Journalism Master Classes allow students to learn key science writing skills remotely and asynchronously. (Lessons are delivered to the student's email either daily or weekly after they sign up.) The courses were developed in collaboration with Emily Laber-Warren, who heads the Health and Science Reporting program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, and also incorporate insights from hundreds of TON articles. The Master Classes are free, thanks to a generous grant from The Kavli Foundation. As of spring 2023, the courses include: "How to Find an Angle for Any Science Story," "How to Pitch Science Stories That Sell," "How to Spot Scientific Hype and Misinformation," and "How to Ace the Study Story."
Organization:

The Open Notebook

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Fellowships & Grants

Public Voices Fellowships

The Op-Ed Project

"The OpEd Project’s Public Voices Fellowship is a national initiative first piloted at Yale, Stanford, and Princeton Universities, and now rolling out in partnership with top universities and foundations across the nation." The fellowship is a one-year program designed to increase the public impact of top academics. It is customized for women and underrepresented thought leaders; it includes trainings on pitching/writing opinion articles and connections with media insiders.
Fellowships & Grants

Public Voices Fellowships

Summary:
"The OpEd Project’s Public Voices Fellowship is a national initiative first piloted at Yale, Stanford, and Princeton Universities, and now rolling out in partnership with top universities and foundations across the nation." The fellowship is a one-year program designed to increase the public impact of top academics. It is customized for women and underrepresented thought leaders; it includes trainings on pitching/writing opinion articles and connections with media insiders.
Organization:

The Op-Ed Project

Location:

Varies (hosted at different institutions)

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