What does a Science Writer do?

A science writer is a writer who focuses on topics in the sciences. Science writers can work as journalists, reporting science news and creating an interface between popular culture and science, and they can also work for various institutions as information officers conveying news about new discoveries and research in the sciences. The payscale for science writing can vary; as with many other writing careers, it depends on how hard the writer is willing to work, and on making connections which will land a science writer in the right jobs.

In the case of science journalism, a science writer may work for a mainstream or scientific publication, performing work on assignment or writing speculative pieces. Science journalism is designed to convey information about science news to the general public, and it can run the gamut from articles about breakthroughs in neurology to weekly columns on ethical issues in the sciences. A science writer may also opt to work on full-length books about scientific issues.

Information officers work in the scientific community, writing press releases, grants, and other materials which are related to scientific work. Often, these materials can be read by the public, as in the case of press releases published by a university. Information officers may also assist with the formal preparation of articles for trade journals in the sciences, helping scientists organize their material so that it can be communicated in a clear and accessible way.

In order to become a science writer, someone needs to have strong writing and editing skills, along with training in the sciences. Many science writers go to college for science degrees, focusing on an area of the sciences in which they are interested, such as biology or astronomy. They also hone their writing and communications skills by taking journalism and writing classes, and some science writers opt for programs which offer science writing degrees, combining both forms of training.

A science writer may become an acknowledged expert on a subject, in which case he or she may be asked to contribute written pieces on a topic to multiple publications, or invited to write a book to convey information to the public. Science writers may also appear on television and radio broadcasts, talking about the issues they cover and getting members of the public interested in the sciences. Most major newspapers and other media outlets maintain at least one science writer on the staff to talk about science issues, and it is not uncommon for a big company to have several, covering a variety of topics.