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The following is a summary of advice shared by expert panelists who attended our 2020 seminar series, gathered and written up here by members of Neuwrite. To learn more, please see the 'Seminars' tab on the website.
Developing, Pitching, and Publishing a Book Written by Emma Chapman, author of ‘First Light: Switching on stars at the dawn of time’ @dreochapman The first Neuwrite London seminar aimed high. You have an idea and you think it is good... but where to go from there? How do you convert a niggling, amorphous idea into a book? A tough subject! The organisers brought together a panel of experts that would be hard to improve upon: Natalie Bellos, from What on Earth Publishing; Abi Fellows, from The Good Literacy Agency; Kirty Topiwala, from Hodder & Stoughton; Patrick Walsh, from Pew Literary, and an excellent chair in engineer and author Roma Agrawal MBE. The Neuwrite team aimed the event at science writers belonging to under-represented groups, in the early stages of their careers. The expertise that was passed on made it invaluable even for writers already in the market, though. There was a sizeable audience despite the event’s virtual platform, with tickets selling out quickly. Here are the key points that stood out for me: Do I need an agent? Literary agents are advocates for the authors. Their job is to help find the best route for turning your idea into a book on as many bookshelves as possible. They champion your book at book fairs and advertise it to publishers directly. Bellos and Topiwala made clear than the vast majority of their book acquisitions come via literary agents. Editors can receive on the order of ten proposals a week, just for one subject area, and so they trust literary agents as a filtering system. Agents will only take on books they believe in and that have passed their personal taste-test. Therefore, if a book arrives via an agent, they can assume it to have already gone through quality control. Saying that, no one said that it was ‘Game Over’ if someone couldn’t find an agent. Sometimes confidence and passion are enough to make you stand out, even without an agent to argue your case. How to write a book proposal? Fellows provided a clear template for a full proposal:
Fellows said that she really enjoyed helping to prepare book proposals with authors, so they were as enticing to publishers as possible. This was a surprise to me. I have published one book, but have never worked with an agent, mainly because until tonight I had thought agents were for ‘proper’ authors: famous people who won awards. This myth was thoroughly debunked. A first communication with an agent might only involve a streamlined version of the full proposal template. Walsh went further and said that many an acquisition had begun with someone emailing him along the lines of “Hi, I am…. I have an idea about… Would you be interested in seeing a proposal?”. I had always assumed it went more like “Hi! I’m a bestselling author, my 15 books have been turned into films and I can no longer field all the calls, you would be honoured to represent me!”. It was interesting to hear that approaching a literary agent was almost a necessity for having your first book acquired by a publishing house. More than that, an agent would help you develop and refine your idea, and so improve your pitch. I suppose that, equally, it could also feel like having to apply to an agent to apply to a publishing house could just feel like one more obstacle. But it seems like the payoff is worth it. What do agents and publishers want to see in an author? I could condense this discussion down to three words: passion, confidence and expertise. The first of these, passion, will hopefully come naturally to science writers. Science is not always an ‘easy’ topic to narrate, but it can inspire the most wonderful excitement and awe. If you love a subject, that passion will come through, so choose a theme that excites you. The second parameter, confidence, may be harder to come by, but if you don’t believe in your idea, there isn’t much reason for an agent or editor to believe in it either. The last of the areas, expertise, is an interesting one. It is a word that might scare some potential science writers off. Not many people are in the centre of a Venn diagram grouping quantum physicists and science writers. All the panel clarified that expertise did not have to mean you were a professor in the subject, or even had a PhD in it. They used ‘expertise’ in a much broader sense: bringing an interesting, fresh perspective on a subject that you were qualified to cover, perhaps only through a personal connection. How does an agent introduce an author to a publisher? Some agents prefer the author meet potential editors before bids for a proposal are accepted. Others prefer to only organise a meeting after they accept a bid. Walsh remarked that meetings would usually involve wine and a nice lunch, but this was recently abandoned and replaced with everyone’s favourite way to spend their day: Zoom. Show me the money! Walsh informed the audience that advances for a book could range from £500–£1 million, but interestingly the word ‘advance’ could be considered a bit of a misnomer. A usual pattern of payment for an advance is a quarter on signing of the publishing contract, a quarter on acceptance of the draft, a quarter on publication of the hardback and a quarter on publication of the paperback. Not so much an advance, as a payment plan. What are the ‘special’ bits of advice for children’s books? Children’s books differ from adult books so much that they can be considered a different kind of writing altogether. The advice that Bellos gave out for this genre was invaluable and so I must record it here, even if it is not applicable to all budding science-writers. Even though most children’s books have an element of illustration, this was not assumed to be the expertise of the science-writer. It is a skill that is often applied in-house. Warmth, however, was a highly desired quality. An author has to appeal not only to the adult reading the book but also the child being read to, and this requires careful thought and a different kind of writing voice. Because children’s books get less review coverage, book sales for children’s books rely heavily on school and library visits. To be a children’s author, you therefore also need to be a bit of a performer. Recommended word counts varied for the different age groups:
Conclusion This blog has turned into a bit of an information dump. That's only because the event itself dispensed so much focused advice that I probably couldn’t have come across it all myself without reading at least 30 blogs scattered around the internet. I’m not even sure I would have been able to attend a similar evening event in person had it been held in London. The virtual setting was a bonus for me at least. There were minor technical difficulties with the quality of guest connections, all quickly smoothed over, and really they just reminded everyone how everything is different now, including the book publishing business. Agents are still advocating, and publishers are still printing, though. Just be prepared that, when you Zoom your future editor, you will have to pour your own glass of wine. Cheers, and good luck!
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The following is a summary of advice shared by expert panelists who attended our 2020 seminar series, gathered and written up here by members of Neuwrite. To learn more, please see the 'Seminars' tab on the website.
How To Break Into Science Journalism Written by Yasmin Ali NeuWrite London’s second seminar for underrepresented writers focused on science journalism. It brought together the British Medical Journal’s international features editor Mun Keat Looi, the freelance science and technology journalist Anna Demming, the BBC Science Focus’ editorial assistant Amy Barrett, and the Economist’s science correspondent Alok Jha. The panel members discussed their roles, how they got into the industry, and their tips for aspiring science journalists. Getting in and building a portfolio The route to science journalism is not set in stone; there are many paths into the profession. Paying for an expensive course is not a pre-requisite, but it can be difficult to know where to start. For Looi, completing a science communication Master’s degree built up his confidence and contacts, but he recommends taking advantage of the wealth of free educational information available on the internet nowadays, such as the Open Notebook, and reaching out to people for advice through Twitter or LinkedIn. According to Looi, the science writing community members are generous with their time, so aspiring writers are encouraged to reach out. This can open doors; Barrett recalled contacting the editor at TechSPARK for tips, which led to her writing for them. She learned how to structure stories, and how to ask for jobs. The common thread for all science journalists is the building up a portfolio of writing over time. This results in improved writing skills, building up a reputation for reliability, and creating a collection of articles to showcase to future editors. Jha recommends writing for student newspapers, seeking out internships, and pitching as a freelancer to publications you enjoy reading. Getting rejections is part of the process. According to Jha, one of his former editors said the first 50 pitches will get rejected, so you may as well start getting through those rejections until you get a commission. Employed versus freelance? One of the advantages as a staff writer is the reach; working for a well-known and reputable organisation means interviewees will engage. On the flip side, some stories need to be written, and staff writers have to pitch in with topics they are less interested in. For Demming, the excitement of coming across a new story and figuring out who to pitch it to, and how, is an attractive aspect of freelancing. Also, not being tied down to a specialist publication, such as Physics World in Demming’s case, provides a wider scope of topics to write about. There is more job security as a staff writer, but the sector is shrinking. Most newsrooms, however, do recognise the need for increasing diversity. As such, Jha encourages people who can bring different experiences to apply for newsroom roles. Pitching to editors Jha compares this to going on a date; you have to charm the editor and build up a rapport. A good working relationship with an editor usually results in future work. At a more practical level, Looi advises sending a concise, readable e-mail, about four paragraphs, explaining who you are, what you are pitching, who you will interview, why it is suitable for the publication’s audience, and a link to your portfolio. Familiarise yourself with the publication, and think about which section your article would fit into, to make the editor’s life easier. Barrett’s key tip is demonstrating knowledge of the audience to the editor. What is the headline, on the cover of the magazine, that will convince the reader pick it up off the shelf? For online outlets, it's useful to show that the piece will be good for SEO, and has good hooks for social media. Finally, Looi says don’t take rejections personally, as editors get hundreds of pitches a day. How much to charge as a freelancer This is an awkward but important topic, and there are some useful resources to help. Every professional publication has set rates, which may be published or can be requested from the editor. For new writers, Jha advises against negotiating the set rates. Picking the right moment to discuss payment is important. This should happen as the piece is getting commissioned, do not get to the point where the piece is written for an unknown payment. Demming sets a bottom line for herself; a price below which she walks away. She recommends getting the editor’s buy-in on the story first, seeing what they offer, then making a decision. In some cases, a lower rate may be acceptable if the piece presents other opportunities. A useful resource, highlighted by Barrett, is the Association for British Science Writers’ annual review of rates per word. An average payment is around £0.25/word. Diversity in science journalism Starting out in journalism, Jha was met with a lack of interest in science graduates from newsrooms. This has changed over time, with events like the Coronavirus pandemic highlighting the importance of accurate science news. Jha’s Guardian colleagues organised an internship scheme aimed at people from underrepresented background, sparking his thoughts around the topic. One unresolved issue, Barrett said, is around unpaid internships, which exclude anyone unable to fund this. She also highlighted an issue around the culture of ‘work until you drop’, a challenge for people with health conditions. The overriding message from the panel is that a diverse range of voices improves science reporting. If you are a science journalist from an underrepresented background, you will do the new outlets a favour by getting in touch, as they most likely don’t know how to reach people like you. Additional Resources: Opportunities and advice Science Writing News Roundup, a newsletter packed with freelancing tips, jobs and pitching opportunities The Professional Freelancer, a newsletter about the business of freelancing and making it into a successful venture The Association for British Science Writers (ABSW) Pitching The Open Notebook, which provides valuable insights into writing great science stories. It also has a section devoted to increasing diversity in science reporting, as well as a useful pitch database Evolving open-source document listing publications and details of editors to pitch to Pay Data on payment rates Open source document on freelancer pay rates NUJ pay rate for the job Mentoring and support Neuwrite London's mentoring scheme The Guardian Positive Action scheme The following is a summary of advice shared by expert panelists who attended our 2020 seminar series, gathered and written up here by members of Neuwrite. To learn more, please see the 'Seminars' tab on the website.
Three Personal Experiences of Writing a Book Written by Paula Rowinska For our third seminar we invited a panel of successful science writers, whose critically acclaimed books are must-reads for any aspiring nonfiction writer. Angela Saini, Prof. Mark Miodownik and Alom Shaha shared their opinions and advice about science writing. What can we learn from their experiences? How to start a writing career Each writing career is unique – and so is each career path. During her engineering degree, Angela got involved in student politics and started publishing in a student paper. After graduation, she transformed her passion for journalism into a full-time job. Many years of working in investigative journalism gave her tools to explore the intersection of science and society, which became the main topic of her books. Mark, on the other hand, is an active researcher and lecturer in materials engineering. He discovered that demos are an effective teaching tool, which earned him the media’s attention. He ended up presenting experiments on TV, which taught him about the importance of storytelling in teaching. Finally, Alom’s experience as a physics teacher proved to him that the way we teach science doesn’t leave much space for asking questions. Alom’s books encourage parents to conduct science experiments with their children, so that they never stop wondering. If parents are their children’s first teachers of English and maths, why shouldn’t they introduce kids to the world of science? Where do book ideas come from? Angela’s editor assigned her an article about menopause – a topic she didn’t know much about at the time. Why do humans, unlike other species, live past their fertility age? Angela learned that researchers proposed two main hypotheses. The first one stresses the importance of grandmothers in the society. The second one focuses on the supposed lack of attractiveness of older women among men of any age. If science was unbiased, researchers would study each hypothesis regardless of their gender. In fact, the first hypothesis is preferred by female, while the second one by male scientists. This discrepancy inspired Angela’s groundbreaking book: “Inferior”. Teaching is all about telling stories, and so are books. Mark knows how to tell a good story, so he decided to take his love for materials science beyond the lecture theatre. He wanted to describe all the materials we’re surrounded by, such as graphene, plastic or steel, each in a separate chapter. The publisher didn’t love this idea: it felt like a list. Only then Mark found a way of joining these chapters together with one, consistent narrative. How? Get a copy of “Stuff Matters” to find out, you won’t regret it! Alom’s students kept asking him about god, religion and atheism. He wanted the younger generation to get a chance he had never had: to ask, get answers and take decisions about their own faith. That’s how the idea for “The Young Atheist's Handbook” was born. How to succeed When asked about main factors contributing to their writing success, our guests offered plenty of valuable insights. The passion for the topic is necessary. You must really, really love the subject to commit to writing about it for months, or even years. Write! If you want to write, sit down and write. You need to put in hours and fill those blank pages with words. Networking helps too. You need to build connections with other writers, agents and researchers. You never know how you could help each other! A good way to build such a network, especially during the pandemic, is through social media channels. Finally, luck. Sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time. However, being passionate, having a wide writing portfolio and a good network will allow you to make some of your own luck. What are the challenges for minority writers? The publishing industry can be biased in a similar way to society. Writers from underrepresented backgrounds might need to prepare for – but not accept – some level of bias. For example, Alom really struggled to find a publisher for his first book, since it didn’t seem “appropriate” for a writer from a Muslim background to write a book about atheism. Some publishers even suggested it might be dangerous… Luckily, Alom didn’t give up and found a publisher in Australia, who took on his book. Angela, on the other hand, is aware that as a woman of colour she might be scrutinised more than a white male would be. She’s proactive about that: she puts a lot of effort into her research and makes sure her facts are flawless, so that nobody can undermine her work. What goes into a book? To write a nonfiction book, a lot of research is needed. Our speakers shared the secret to their unique researching process. Angela starts from academic papers and references therein. They’re an excellent source of names of potential interviewees. Angela attempts to interview not only the big name in the field, but the person actually involved in the study. Sometimes it means tracking down PhD students, who might reveal inside knowledge on the research. Mark teaches material science and writes about it, so his initial research doesn’t have to be as extensive. He focuses on emotions, usually neglected when we talk about science. It’s the emotions that attract people to science and engineering. Because Alom writes for young audiences, a big part of his books are illustrations. He worked closely with his publisher to find an appropriate illustrator. They wanted someone with a passion for the project, but a knowledge for science was not a requirement. For future projects, where possible, Alom will look for illustrators from underrepresented backgrounds, or someone looking for their first break in publishing. How to take care of yourself Writing can be a lonely and stressful experience. Our guests gave some valuable advice on how to deal with challenges of writing:
How to get started Finally, our guests thought back to the beginnings of their own writing careers. They shared a few tips and tricks on getting started:
What’s next? The speakers left us with their thoughts on the future of science writing. Angela believes that this field is finally opening up for writers from underrepresented backgrounds, and to people writing at the intersection of science and politics. Mark thinks that we’re going to explore the style of narrative fiction and science writing to reach new audiences. Alom would like to incorporate new genres in his own writing, because we learn by experimenting. And you? What are you going to write next? |
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