Q. I'm just starting my journalistic career this spring with a small chain of weekly suburban newspapers. Eventually I would love to become a science writer for a larger daily. I read
Science and
Nature (major sources of science-related articles) regularly.
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I plan to pick up any assignments I can that have to do with science, but what else can I do to get to my goal? Is freelancing a good option? I just can't see many story options here in this part of town.
Thanks for all your help,
Soon-to-be science reporter A. Fine-tune your news nose to find the science stories that are all around you.
They are on the environmental beat, in business news and in local news stories about growth and
development. New-product technology, tourism, medical stories and issues regarding local water supplies or buildings are good fodder for science stories. Make them as much a part of your beat as you can.
If you start out trying to be a pure-science writer or with a job at
Nature, you might never make it. But an inventive reporter with creativity and initiative can start doing science stories from Day 1. Later, if you do your job exceedingly well, editors will want to talk to you about writing more science stories.
Until then, I would also look into joining the
National Association of Science Writers or the
Society of Environmental Journalists.
Coming Wednesday: After doing some work in TV, this broadcast major wants to switch to her real love -- print -- but wonders if she can do it without changing her major.
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