How do you find an agent? What material should you send? Those questions on NASW-Books generated this recent exchange and tips from NASW authors.
Science writing news
In the U.S. today, remains of some 40,000 individuals have yet to be identified. In The Skeleton Crew, Deborah Halber explores a subculture of amateur detectives, who strive to solve cold cases. Many do their legwork on the Internet. As one reviewer noted, it’s DIY CSI.
Every school day, students at Carlsbad High tune in their classroom televisions to a news show produced by its award-winning broadcast journalism program. But no one expected the kind of attention that has lately muzzled one of its most acclaimed works — a short documentary produced by an extracurricular offshoot of the program. The movie, “Invisible Threat,” bills itself as a report on “the science of disease and the risks facing a society that is under-vaccinated.”
Starting August 30, at the request of his British publisher, David Quammen pulled information on the Ebola virus from his 2012 book, SPILLOVER, edited and rearranged it, and added a new introduction and epilogue to address 2014 events. The result is a concise Ebola information resource for citizens, media professionals, and public officials. “I hadn’t imagined, months earlier,” Quammen writes, “that it was physically possible to shape, print, and publish a book so quickly.”
NASW members are reminded that the IRS takes a dim view of freelance writers and other self-employed individuals who miss deadlines for filing federal tax returns or the due dates for making estimated tax payments. Miss just one, says the IRS, and it might exact a sizable, nondeductible penalty, which is based on the agency’s current interest rate for back taxes.
Science writers take a “show me the numbers” approach when tackling a tough topic. So, organizers of Solutions Summit 2014: Women in Science Writing came armed with their own data to back up recent concerns that gender bias, inequity, and sexual harassment are still holding women back.
Science writers have always had to cope with angry readers or industries who don’t like their stories. Responding to criticism is part of the job. But these days journalists, PIOs, and scientists find themselves facing personal attacks and even death threats. Just writing about global warming, GMOs, or vaccines can trigger personal attacks or lawsuits. Women are also subjected to harassment, stalking, threats of rape, and barrages of pornography.
During the ScienceWriters2014 meeting, Amber Dance and Dennis Meredith were awarded the annual Diane McGurgan Service award, which recognizes outstanding volunteer contributions to the National Association of Science Writers. The award is named after NASW's former executive director Diane McGurgan. Amber and Dennis co-chair the Science in Society Journalism Awards program. Read more to learn about their contributions to NASW.
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