Dear friends of TON,
We’re writing to ask for your help.
High-quality science journalism has never been more essential than it is today. The best science journalists do not merely translate the latest discoveries into lay language. They provide critical context and nuanced analysis that help readers appreciate the cumulative nature of scientific advance, distinguish scientific controversy from politically motivated debate, and meet the human characters behind research endeavors. The Open Notebook is the only organization dedicated to providing science journalists with tools to sharpen their skills.
The Open Notebook is the only organization dedicated to providing science journalists with the tools to sharpen their skills. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support science journalism.
Since launching TON six years ago, we’ve published almost 300 articles, including story-behind-the-story interviews with dozens of leading science journalists, in-depth reported features on elements of science-journalism craft, brief guides to writing specific types of stories, advice columns, story annotations, writer profiles, and a pitch database that contains dozens of successful query letters.
We hear regularly from science writers at all levels of experience, from beginners to veterans, who say they view TON as an invaluable resource. It’s been called “the textbook of science journalism” and “a gift to the science writer community.”
And while it’s hard to quantify our impact, here are some numbers we find particularly gratifying:
- At least two dozen U.S. journalism instructors have told us they use TON articles and other resources in their teaching.
- Since our launch in 2010, the site has welcomed more than 350,000 visitors. The science-writing community may be small, but we have about 10,000 unique visitors a month. About 17,000 people have visited the site more than 50 times, a sign that the community views TON as essential reading.
- TON has been visited by readers from almost every country in the world. Twenty-four countries—eight of which are developing nations—have sent at least 1,000 visitors each.
Creating and publishing these resources costs money. We pay writers competitive rates for every interview, feature, and annotation. We also pay for professional editing and copyediting, as well as covering administrative costs such as website hosting and domain registration, site maintenance, and nonprofit registration fees. When grant funding is scarce, TON’s co-founders pay these costs out of their own pockets.
The Open Notebook is a 501(c)(3) organization. If we have helped you improve your skills, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support science journalism.
Thank you!
Siri Carpenter and Jeanne Erdmann
Co-founders of The Open Notebook
