The Science Writers' Essay Handbook: How to Craft Compelling True Stories in Any Medium

This book appeared in Advance Copy, a column in which NASW book editor Lynne Lamberg asks NASW authors to tell how they came up with the idea for their book, developed a proposal, found an agent and publisher, funded and conducted research, and put the book together. She also asks what they wish they had known before they began working on their book, what they might do differently the next time, and what tips they can offer aspiring authors. She then edits the A part of that Q&A to produce the author reports you see here. Publication of NASW members’ reports in Advance Copy does not indicate NASW’s endorsement of their books. NASW welcomes your comments, and hopes this column stimulates productive discussions. To join the discussion or submit your book, visit Advance Copy.

Though the essay form is more than four centuries old, it's perfectly suited to the digital age--and to science writing. The Science Writers' Essay Handbook will show you how to:

• Recognize and develop essay ideas
• Research and report for the essay form
• Organize your material before you write
• Develop a distinctive authorial voice
• Revise and polish your essays for publication
• Apply your essay-writing skills to stories of all kinds, from magazine features to multimedia productions to social-media posts

No matter what kind of science storyteller you are, The Science Writers' Essay Handbook will give you new tools to bring out the best in your work.