Are you new to science writing? Or are you just thinking about getting into the field and wondering what it’s all about? The Open Notebook has published hundreds of articles and other resources aimed at helping science journalists sharpen their skills—and helping newcomers get started. This page contains a subset of those resources, with a focus on what’s most relevant to people who are getting started in science journalism. Dig in!
Breaking In

Do You Need a Science Degree to Be a Science Reporter?


Entering Science Writing as a Child of Immigrants

The Intern’s Survival Guide

Tip Sheet for Newcomers to Science Writing

On the Origin of Science Writers





Why Is It So Hard for Foreign Journalists to Break into U.S. and European Outlets?

Finding and Landing the Right Internship in Science Writing
Finding Ideas


Sharpening Ideas: From Topic to Story

Ask TON: From Idea to Story

Finding the Science in Any Story

Freelancing in the Time of Coronavirus

Repurposing Story Ideas for Multiple Venues

Is This a Story? How to Evaluate Your Ideas Before You Pitch

Ask TON: Saving String
Pitching

Picking a Publication to Pitch

Ask TON: How Do I Write a Good Pitch Letter?


Pitching Errors: How Not to Pitch

Ask TON: Repitching Killed Stories

Ask TON: How Soon to Repitch an Editor?

Going Digital: Inside New Science Journalism Outlets

Making First Contact with Editors

Want to Be Pitch Perfect?
To tell a compelling story to readers, you first need to sell your idea to an editor. The Open Notebook’s Pitch Database contains 290 successful news and feature pitches a wide range of publications. Each one is accompanied by a link to the resulting published story. Search or browse our database and discover how other journalists have succeeded in selling their stories.
Story Planning and Reporting

How to Take Advantage of Online Conferences

Is Anyone Out There? Sourcing News Stories

Nice Niche: How to Build and Keep Up with a Beat

Finding Diverse Sources for Science Stories

Guide to Tracking Source Diversity

How to Find Scientist Sources and Plan Interviews


What to Do When a Source Asks to See Your Unpublished Copy


Who Is an Expert? Broadening the Definition Strengthens Journalism

Ask TON: Finding Patients


Getting the Most out of Scientific Conferences

Ask TON: Using PIOs to Hunt Stories

How to Read a Scientific Paper
Writing Accurately, Clearly, and Engagingly

Nailing the Nut Graf

Don’t Despair: How to Handle Writer’s Block


Diversity Style Guides for Journalists

Explaining Complexity

How to Find and Use Quotes in Science Stories

How to Ask for Feedback from Editors

Fat Chance: Writing about Probability



How to Do a Close Read

Good Transitions: A Guide to Cementing Stories Together
Fact-Checking, Self-Editing, and Revising

Ask TON: Is This Draft Too Long?

The First Critic Is You: Editing Your Own Work

Ask TON: How Much Editing to Expect?

Ask TON: How to Fact-Check


Ask TON: Who Should Trim Long Drafts?

Surviving the Grind of Fact-Checking

How to Handle a Mistake
See What Science Journalism Instructors Say
To learn what experienced science writing instructors view as the most important skills to learn and what they’ve learned in their own careers that they most hope to convey to their students, take a look at the provides in our Office Hours series, where we’ve picked the brains of more than a dozen instructors.The Business and Economics of Freelancing

What Is Science Journalism Worth? Part I

Reading and Negotiating a Freelance Contract

What to Expect When You’re Expecting as a Freelancer


Show Me the Money: The Economics of Freelance Science Journalism

What Is Science Journalism Worth? Part II
Being Part of the Science Journalism World

How Journalists Can Overcome Math Anxiety


Feeling Like a Fraud: The Impostor Phenomenon in Science Writing

Making the Most of a Writers’ Association Membership

Including Diverse Voices in Science Stories

How to Be (or Not to Be) an Advocacy Journalist


Navigating Conflicts of Interest
