The Craft of Science Writing: Selections from The Open Notebook

Science journalism has perhaps never been so critical to our world--and the demands on science journalists have never been greater. On any given day, a science journalist might need to explain the details of genetic engineering, analyze a development in climate change research, or serve as a watchdog helping to ensure the integrity of the scientific enterprise. And science writers have to spin tales seductive enough to keep readers hooked to the end, despite the endless other delights just a click away. How does one do it?

Here, for the first time, is a collection of indispensable articles on the craft of science writing as told by some of the most skillful science journalists working today. These selections are a wealth of journalistic knowledge from The Open Notebook, the online community that has been a primary resource for science journalists and aspiring science writers for the last decade.

The Craft of Science Writing gives you a crew of accomplished, encouraging friends to whisper over your shoulder as you work. In these pages, you'll find interviews with leading journalists offering behind-the-scenes inspiration, as well as in-depth essays on the craft offering practical advice, including:

• How to make the transition into science writing
• How to find and pitch a science story to editors
• How to wade through a sea of technicalities in scientific papers to spot key facts
• How to evaluate scientific and statistical claims
• How to report on controversial topics
• How to structure a science story, from short news to long features
• How to engage readers in a science story and hold their attention to the end

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE CRAFT OF SCIENCE WRITING: Christie Aschwanden, Siri Carpenter, Tina Casagrand, Jeanne Erdmann, Dan Fagin, Dan Ferber, Azeen Ghorayshi, Geoffrey Giller, Laura Helmuth, Jane C. Hu, Alla Katsnelson, Roxanne Khamsi, Maggie Koerth-Baker, Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Apoorva Mandavilli, Amanda Mascarelli, Robin Meadows, Kate Morgan, Tien Nguyen, Michelle Nijhuis, Aneri Pattani, Rodrigo P rez Ortega, Mallory Pickett, Kendall Powell, Tasneem Raja, Sandeep Ravindran, Julia Rosen, Christina Selby, Alexandra Witze, Wudan Yan, Ed Yong, Rachel Zamzow, Sarah Zhang, Carl Zimmer.

Siri Carpenter, Ph.D., is co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Open Notebook. She is an award-winning science journalist and editor whose writing and editorial work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Science, Discover, National Geographic online, Scientific American, bioGraphic, O, The Oprah Magazine, Science News, Science News for Students, and many other publications. She is the 2018-2020 president of the National Association of Science Writers and lives in Madison, Wisconsin.