Case studies: Freelance science writer: Ed Young

Ed studied for a BA in Natural Science and went on to do an MPhil in Biochemistry at the labs of Cancer Research UK.

Ed decided that he enjoyed writing about science so he left the world of research and took up a role in science information at Cancer Research UK. He was later promoted to the role of health information manager and decided to do freelance science writing in his spare time.

Ed started up a blog so that he could write freely about new and exciting science, explaining it in a way that was interesting to non-scientists. He enjoyed working on it immensely and it grew into a ready-made portfolio of his work.

Ed started his freelance career by pitching ideas directly to several major publications but initially received many rejections. He eventually broke through by winning the Daily Telegraph’s Science Writer Awards competition and has gone on to write for New Scientist, Nature, SEED, The Daily Telegraph and The Economist. Every piece begins by emailing a pitch to an editor. If it’s accepted, the details are fleshed out and payment is agreed - most outlets have standard fees, including set amounts for small articles and per-word prices for longer ones.

How much work is involved depends upon the type of article being written. If it is something short there can be a one day deadline and in other cases the piece can take several months to complete. Longer features demand quite a bit of research, a thorough review of scientific papers and interviews with important scientists. They are usually really cooperative and welcome the opportunity to discuss their projects with someone who is genuinely interested.

Science writing is something Ed takes very seriously. It’s important to bear in mind that someone may potentially make a major decision based on what is written in the piece, especially if it’s about topics like medicine or climate change. So it’s vitally important to do thorough research and make sure the content is accurate.

Ed finds the process of writing about science hugely enjoyable. Freelance work gives him the freedom to choose his interests and write about them in the way he wants to. Being a science writer is also immensely rewarding and blogging about it particularly so. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of someone writing to tell you that they loved your work, particularly if that someone is the scientist who actually did the study you’re writing about.

Ed personally thinks that having a science degree helps you as a science writer. It enables you to be a better judge of what is a good story and your knowledge helps you to write more accurately. There are, however, good writers who come from a non-science background and certainly many who don’t come from a journalism background. Ultimately, commissioning editors judge a writer on ability not on qualifications.

Whatever the route, it’s important to build up a portfolio of work. Ed has no doubt that winning the Daily Telegraph competition helped him to be taken more seriously. It is worthwhile to enter similar competitions, get involved with student newspapers, local newspapers or publications produced by a professional body. He would also highly recommend starting a blog. It is quick and easy to do and will give you a portfolio to show to employers.

When the time comes to start approaching publishers Ed suggests trying to get a named person to write to (sending a general email can easily be ignored). Be clear about your ideas and make sure you have done your research well. Be prepared to get your bids rejected and receive criticism of your work. If science writing is really what you want to do these hurdles will not deter you from going forward with your ideas.