Listen:
I feel like I’ve known about the Open Notebook forever, and have been sharing it with my students and include it as a resource in my book, so I was delighted to speak to the person at the helm of the site, editor-in-chief Siri Carpenter about her role, and her updated and valuable book The Craft of Science Writing. She breaks down science writing so it is accessible for everyone, and today in the tough freelancing world, it is a key skill to have under your belt.
In This Episode
-
Siri shares the inspiration behind The Craft of Science Writing and what’s new in the expanded edition. [3:34]
-
How the pandemic made everyone a science writer [4:34]
-
The rise of science writing across all beats—why every journalist needs to understand and implement research and data. [5:05]
-
How to craft compelling science stories without a science degree. [6:08]
-
The dos and don’ts of pitching –pitching hygiene —plus how to sharpen your story angle. [9:30]
-
How to write complex subjects in a reader-friendly way [13:48]
-
The goal of the Open Notebook to make science writing accessible and offer training opportunities and free courses [27:17]
-
Siri’s thoughts on AI [30:22]
-
Submission info for The Open Notebook [34:37]
-
Why understanding research, statistics, and expert interviews is essential for today’s writers. [37:16]
Watch on YouTube
About Siri
Siri Carpenter is an award-winning journalist and is co-founder, executive director, and editor-in-chief of The Open Notebook, a non-profit organization widely regarded as a leading source of training and educational materials for journalists who cover science. She is also the editor of the book The Craft of Science Writing. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Science, Discover, Scientific American, Science News, bioGraphic, and other publications. She is a past president of the National Association of Science Writers and was the 2023 winner of the Online News Association’s Community Award. She has a Ph.D. in social psychology from Yale University and lives in Madison, Wisconsin.
Connect with Siri via The Open Notebook
Sign up for Newsletter and free courses
Editor, The Craft of Science Writing
SECOND, EXPANDED EDITION AVAILABLE NOW!
Connect with Estelle
Erasmus Estelle Erasmus: an award-winning journalist, is the author of WRITING THAT GETS NOTICED (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers Magazine), a Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest, and host of the podcast Freelance Writing Direct. She is an adjunct instructor for NYU’s School of Professional Studies/Center for Publishing and Applied Liberal Arts, has written for over 150 publications, including The New York Times, Next Avenue/PBS, WIRED, The Independent,The Washington Post, and AARP: The Magazine, and was the editor-in-chief of five national publications. Follow her on Substack at https://estelleserasmus.substack.com
Her latest substack Post: My Predictions for Publishing in 2025
Apply to be on Freelance Writing Direct in a coaching episode: email [email protected] and state three of the issues you are dealing with that you would like Estelle’s help with.
Get Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers Magazine.
Order Her Audiobook
Sign up for Estelle’s Substack(for craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests. Check out her post on the Editor of The Cut.
Sign up for her Personal Essay Class for Writer’s Digest
Student Work
* Congrats to Tracy Cate for her first published piece an inspiring essay called Ready for Marriage at 50 on Next Avenue/PBS. She workshopped this piece in my class, and I knew that Next Avenue was the perfect venue for it, and suggested she submit there. It was kismet, as is her marriage.
* Congrats to my former student Barbra Cosentino for her powerful essay for Next Avenue/PBS My Mother, Floating in the Atlantic Ocean. I recall she was working on an earlier version of this essay in my NYU class several years ago.
* Congrats to Lottie Joiner for a wonderful essay in Next Avenue Life Lessons from a Zip Line. She first workshopped this piece with me in class several years ago, and I’m so glad she decided to get it published.
Here is what Lottie said about our work together.
“I was a student in Estelle Erasmus’ “Writing the Personal Essay” class that she taught for Writer’s Digest University in 2022. Estelle gave me invaluable feedback on my essays. She encouraged me to dig deeper, focus on the small details and offered recommendations on structure. Her input improved my writing and helped shape my stories. I really appreciated Estelle’s gentle touch which helped me find my voice and write with authenticity and vulnerability. One of the essays I wrote during her class was recently published on Next Avenue. My editor told me it was the lead story of the day.”
* If you are interested in publishing on Next Avenue, this is episode #118 with Julie Pfitzinger, Managing Editor of Next Avenue
* Congrats to Laura Schep for her latest piece in The Globe and Mail: Adventure Lover Harry Schep, Never Let Age Get in The Way. Her previous essay for the pub was The Year I Worked Christmas Shifts at the Hospital Was One of the Best Holidays Ever.
* So happy to see my Zoom class student Linda Maltz Wolff’s fabulous and humorous piece on grandmothers in The Boston Globe. Brava! (Gift Link)
This is what Linda said about working with Estelle
“Thank you Estelle Erasmus for your incredible suggestions that truly made this piece shine. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with someone who cares so much about their students and their work.” — Linda Wolff
*Congrats to Deborah Copperud who was on my podcast getting coaching from me in an episode, and now has a viral piece on HuffPost Personal called I Spent Over $6,000 at Target Last Year. Here’s Why I’m Giving Up My Favorite Place to Shop.
This was Deborah’s coaching episode #115.
This is what Deborah said about my coaching,
Classes
Estelle’s private small Zoom classes are sold out for March 2025 and May/June 2025 (the May/June class sold out in 2 days). Email her at [email protected] to get on the list for her next class (in the Fall) and find out how to secure your spot.
Her newest NYU class now taking registrations is Writing About Your Life Through Memoir, Essays and Articles.
Save the Date on April 10th from 12:30-1:30 for her next free Editor-0n-Call series event for NYU. Editor to be announced shortly.
Sign up for her Webinar on April 24th from 1:00-2:30 pm ET for Writer’s Digest: Layering Throughlines and Timelines into Your Essays and Books to Pack a Punch. It will be generative, informational, and interactive.
Follow Estelle
