Save the dates
‘Tis the season for deadlines! Science writers become science writers through myriad channels, but among the most popular avenues are graduate programs and fellowships. If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school […] ...Keep Reading »
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 »
