Coverage of NASW's Fall 2006 Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the National Association of Science Writers drew more than 400 science writers to Baltimore, Md., Oct. 27-28, 2006. This page contains reports from many of the sessions, filed by NASW conference travel fellows.
New media technologies for science writers
Starting a science Web log probably won't finance your retirement, but it could boost your career in other ways, said Chris Mooney, Washington correspondent for Seed magazine and senior correspondent for The American Prospect. Mooney's comments were part of a panel at NASW's "Navigating the New Media" session.
November 6, 2006 10:56 PM — Continue readingPerfecting the Pitch
It all comes down to the pitch. Whether a story idea lives or dies depends on the writer's ability to pitch it to an editor quickly, clearly, and with pizzazz. At the lively "Pitch Slam" session, writers queued up to pitch their ideas to a high-powered panel of editors, who dissected each pitch like doctors in an operating room theater, providing valuable lessons on the anatomy of a successful pitch for all who attended.
November 1, 2006 07:27 PM — Continue readingPodcasting 101
"Podcasting is about content," Ivan Semeniuk told the crowd of roughly 100 assembled for the Podcasting 101 session at the 2006 NASW Conference. "But I want to add one more layer to that: it's about identity." Semenuik, the host and producer of New Scientist's "Sci-Pod," and the four other panelists returned repeatedly to the themes of creating identity and grappling with technology as they explained the fundamentals of podcasting — from getting good sound quality for phone-recorded interviews to marketing techniques for recruiting more listeners.
Clinical Trials Boot Camp, Part I
During the first Clinical Trials Basic Training session an Food and Drug Administration official and an academic explained the basic standards and issues involved in properly designing a human clinical trial. The goal was to teach reporters enough about the process to adequately analyze trial data and avoid inaccurate coverage of results. To that end, the speakers pointed out some specific questions for reporters to ask and information to request and scrutinize to properly assess trial results.
October 29, 2006 05:39 PM — Continue readingWriting Isn't the Only Hard Part, There's Publicity, Too
The sigh of relief you let loose after the last page of your book is finally done might be a bit premature. Once the writing is finished, much work remains to sell what you have spent so much time and energy on.
The Low Down on Self-Publishing — Few Make Money
Those interested in self-publishing have many options: launching their own small publishing company; contracting with an established small publisher or a large online operation; using single copy, print-on-demand (POD) technology; or simply publishing their work online as an e-book. Despite the choices, though, can self-publishing be satisfying and lucrative, a reasonable alternative for professional writers?
Better Writing is Only 50 Steps Away
Roy Peter Clark wants to fill the world with well-written prose. Drawing from lessons taught in his book "Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer," an extensive knowledge of medieval literature, and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," he mercilessly hunts happily smiling adverbs.
NASW/CASW Joint "Science Smorgasbord" Lunch
Food and good conversation wrapped up the National Association of Science Writers' 2006 annual meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, and kicked off the annual New Horizons meeting of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. At the luncheon in the Tremont Grand Hotel, conference participants jockeyed for seats at 31 tables, each of which featured a local scientist discussing his or her current research.
October 29, 2006 02:06 PM — Continue readingGlobal Warming Heats Up
A panel of experts highlighted the challenges of covering global climate change for an audience intent on learning how to get ink for this controversial topic. Cristine Russell moderated a session packed with good science and commonsense tips from seasoned journalists.
NASW Business, Old and New
In addition to hot coffee, fresh muffins, and glazed danishes, the NASW Business Meeting offered both an opportunity to learn about the progress of current NASW projects and the development of new ones. Many of the brief presentations centered on the importance of sharing information helpful to honing a science writer's craft. The meeting also gave new members the chance to meet and talk with board members, as well as socialize with other attendees.
Why Google's Future May Doom Books
Paul Aiken, attorney for the Author's Guild, claims that Google's digitization of copyrighted material could pave the way for the demise of writers and publishers. Aiken and the Guild have sued Google, and the case is winding its way through a multi-year process. "Fair use doesn't mean free use," Aiken told a rapt audience at a presentation titled "Copyright in an Internet Age." Questioners after his talk challenged his reading of the tea leaves.
October 29, 2006 12:46 AM — Continue readingAdventures in Alternative Science Communication
Friday night, as contented conference-goers munched on a vast array of cheeses of the world and cashed in their free-drink coupons, Robin Marantz Henig welcomed them to a new concept in this year's NASW sessions: the science cabaret.
October 28, 2006 11:22 AM — Continue readingPIO Basics
As the crowd was settling in to the "PIO Basics" session of the 2006 NASW meeting, a man in the row behind me leaned forward and whispered to the woman next to me, "I know nothing about being a PIO." "Neither do I," she whispered back.
October 28, 2006 09:03 AM — Continue readingHow to Cover a Scientific Meeting
The How to Cover a Scientific Meeting session drew a standing-room only crowd, with participants lining the walls and sitting on the floors as four consummate professionals held forth on everything from the imminently practical ("Read the program" and "Eat breakfast") to pointers on schmoozing researchers to slick tips on how to capture elusive details to entice picky editors.
October 27, 2006 05:37 PM — Continue reading
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