Longreads founder Mark Armstrong shares some surprising and counter-intuitive news about what readers are sharing on his site — most of it originates from newspapers and magazine websites: "When you take a closer look at the Top 200 sites shared on Longreads, 65 percent of them were still websites for print magazines or newspapers. The resurgence of long-form storytelling on the web is still being subsidized and supported by print businesses and print revenue."
Science writing news
Remember the news about dangerous lead levels in imported rice? Maybe so, but do you remember the followup, a few weeks later, when the "finding" was reported to be caused by faulty equipment? In a Forbes post, Emily Willingham critiques the early reporting and notes that several outlets missed some red flags: "Science is nothing without context. And there’s no reason at all not to tell readers, as soon as possible, if no peer review has vetted the information."
The veteran science writer and National Geographic blogger discusses his "blind, twisted path" into journalism and offers advice for other would-be science writers on developing their skills and navigating changing media markets: "Some venues for science writing are thriving. They include traditional publications that are working out new ways to stay in business. And they include new publications that are not burdened by the bruising history of journalism."
Zhana Vrangalova, a Cornell PhD student, has mixed feelings about her first major media ride for a study on sexual behaviors, and she writes about them on her blog, from published study to press release to coverage. Although she calls the experience "much more positive than negative" she warns, "Be very very careful what you say to journalists and how you say it, because they can and will misunderstand, misinterpret, and sensationalize everything and anything you say."
The Eighth World Conference of Science Journalists opened today in Helsinki with about 850 registrants expected to attend. If you're not among them, you can check in via the Twitter hashtag #wcsj2013 or the conference Twitter feed. Also be sure to check the conference site for webcasts, or see Facebook and the conference program booklet.
The author of the indispensible “On Writing Well” has lost his vision but still coaches students through the minefields of non-fiction narrative. Writing in the New York Times, Dan Barry describes William Zinsser's lasting influence: "People come to him in stages of typed-out paralysis, stalled, uncertain whether they have written too much or too little. He tries to help them organize their thoughts by condensing, reducing — learning what not to include."
Even if you plan to self-publish, writing a book proposal is an essential step, Jennifer Lawler writes. It can help collect your thoughts and analyze your market: "A book proposal lets you explore whether you want to commit to writing a book. If you get bogged down and lose interest as you work on the chapter outline, no harm done, you can file it and forget it. Or maybe you realize that you really do want to write the book. The proposal can help guide you on the way."
For many who write about science for kids, the ground is about to shift, or is already trembling. When the tremors stop, the altered landscape may hold new opportunities for science writers. The movements come in the form of nationwide initiatives to rewrite the standards for literacy, science, and mathematics.
Business Wire has updated its 2007 assessment of what it costs to produce a press release, and the price tag has jumped 50% from an eye-popping $5,000 to an even more eye-popping $7,500. The reasons, Fred Godlash writes, boil down to social media: "In today’s world the press release may be picked up by anyone that will write about your company – not just traditional media outlets, but bloggers, consumer groups, advocacy groups, social media users and more."