Juggling kids, deadlines, and days ‘off’
About three weeks ago, I stared hard at my wall calendar and thought, “How the hell am I gonna do this?” All three of my kids were going to be […] ...Keep Reading »
Snapshot: Ode to BootLance
Since SciLance’s formation we have occasionally riffed on the “lance” ending—BabyLance, BookLance and such. But one of the little-known but oh-so-very-popular spinoffs is BootLance. Now, we haven’t done any special […] ...Keep Reading »
Creeping Ennui and How to Beat It
I remember the day I first felt like I could nail the short science news story. It’s the most fundamental of science writing jobs, really: turning new research papers into […] ...Keep Reading »
Imitate Genre to Better “Fit”
Writers often say that you can become a better writer simply by reading more. Yes, and everyone from Stephen King to Belle Beth Cooper to your high school English teacher […] ...Keep Reading »
Conference junkie
My name is Virginia and I think I’m turning into an addict. SCB. ESA. WFF. They sound like the latest street drugs, but they’re scientific meeting acronyms and just as […] ...Keep Reading »
Start Writing ASAP
You pitch a story, get an assignment, sign a contract, and start reporting. When do you start writing? When I was first starting out, I would find sources, read papers, […] ...Keep Reading »
Bookshelf: The Sense of Style by Steven Pinker
A few days ago, I told a writer friend—and fellow grammar geek—that I was reading Steven Pinker’s new style guide. She curled her lip. “Oh,” she said. “Isn’t that the […] ...Keep Reading »
Redux Post: Organizing Your Work and Life
Editors note: Today is a good day to revisit a post about the importance of organizing your work and life, particularly if you happen to be an editor who has […] ...Keep Reading »
On Location: A Professional Calling Card
There’s an old cliché in real estate that only three things really matter for any property: location, location, location. One of the advantages of freelance writing is the ability to be […] ...Keep Reading »
Annual Reports 101
It’s a given that no matter what industry you’re in, no one is going to be more concerned about your career success and advancement than you. (Okay, with the exception, […] ...Keep Reading »
