Poynter's Beth Winegarner lists a half-dozen ways for freelancers to build their businesses. Many of them boil down to finding a network and making the most of it: "Thanks to Facebook and Twitter, connecting with fellow freelancers has never been easier. Knowing who’s writing, and who they’re writing for, gives you a good sense of which publications are open to taking freelance work," Winegarner writes. Also, do your homework, and "pitch more than you can write."
New to science writing
The days when a beginning journalist was surrounded by a newsroom full of experienced colleagues may be gone now, Jillian Keenan writes on the Poynter site: "I fell in love with the freedom and flexibility of independent journalism, but there was one problem: without long-term editors to supervise my work, it seemed like I’d never find those inspiring mentors I had imagined." Keenan offers five tips for freelancers who want to fill the gap by finding their own mentors.
The National Association of Science Writers will once again sponsor travel fellowships to the upcoming AAAS meeting for undergraduate students interested in science journalism. As many as 8 students will receive up to $1,000 in travel expenses to attend AAAS in Vancouver, Canada Feb. 16-20, 2012. NASW's education committee will select students to receive the fellowship and will pair each one with a veteran writer for a one-day mentoring program.
The National Association of Science Writers will once again sponsor travel fellowships to the upcoming AAAS meeting for undergraduate students interested in science journalism. As many as 10 students will receive up to $750 in travel expenses to attend AAAS in Washington, D.C., Feb. 17-21, 2011. NASW's education committee will select students to receive the fellowship and will pair each one with a veteran writer for a one-day mentoring program.
Dear Prospective Student: Thanks very much for your interest in our graduate program in science writing. You're off to a good start by sending a professional message with some well-composed details about your background and your desire to enter our field. We'll talk soon over the phone, and I welcome you to visit us here in the redwoods. In the meantime, you've asked what I look for in our applicants — the signs that you might be a good fit for us, and vice versa. I'm happy to oblige.
The National Association of Science Writers will once again sponsor travel fellowships to the upcoming AAAS meeting for undergraduate students interested in science journalism. As many as 10 students will receive up to $750 in travel expenses to attend AAAS in San Diego, Feb. 18-22, 2010. NASW's education committee will select students to receive the fellowship and will pair each one with a veteran writer for a one-day mentoring program.
The National Association of Science Writers is pleased to announce the 2009 NASW Student Travel Fellowships to AAAS. As many as 10 undergraduate students interested in science journalism will receive up to $750 in travel expenses to attend the 2009 AAAS meeting in Chicago. The meeting will be held from February 12 to 16, 2009. NASW's education committee will select students to receive the fellowship and will pair each one with a veteran writer for a one-day mentorship program.
Thanks to a generous grant from the William T. Golden Endowment Fund at AAAS, the NASW Mentoring Program can offer as many as 10 undergraduate students interested in science journalism up to $1000 in travel expenses to attend the 2008 AAAS meeting in Boston. The meeting will be held from February 14 to 18, 2008. NASW's education committee will select the students independently from AAAS and will pair each one with a veteran writer for a one-day mentorship program.
The NASW Education Committee is again sponsoring the annual "Mentoring at AAAS" program in February in San Francisco, and we need volunteers to act as the mentors.