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
Entering Science Writing as a Child of Immigrants
On the Origin of Science Writers
Why Is It So Hard for Foreign Journalists to Break into U.S. and European Outlets?
Do You Need a Science Degree to Be a Science Reporter?
The Intern’s Survival Guide
Finding and Landing the Right Internship in Science Writing
Tip Sheet for Newcomers to Science Writing
Finding Ideas
Repurposing Story Ideas for Multiple Venues
Ask TON: Saving String
Freelancing in the Time of Coronavirus
Is This a Story? How to Evaluate Your Ideas Before You Pitch
Sharpening Ideas: From Topic to Story
Ask TON: From Idea to Story
Finding the Science in Any Story
Pitching
Going Digital: Inside New Science Journalism Outlets
Making First Contact with Editors
Ask TON: How Do I Write a Good Pitch Letter?
Picking a Publication to Pitch
Ask TON: Repitching Killed Stories
Pitching Errors: How Not to Pitch
Ask TON: How Soon to Repitch an Editor?
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 292 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.