Preface

Science blogging: The essential guide - Christie Wilcox, Bethany Brookshire, Jason G. Goldman 2016


Preface

Why are you here?

We don’t mean that in the existential sense. But what are you doing, right now, with this book in your hands? (Or more likely with this book displayed on some electronic device?) What is it that you want to know about science blogging?

Online science communication has come a long way from the early days of LiveJournal and Usenet. Bloggers are no longer sending messages in bottles with only blogrolls and hyperlinks to keep us connected, each of us in our own little far-flung corner of the Internet. Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook may not feel all that new, but they’re revolutionary tools that have allowed us not just to interact with each other but also to reach wider and more diverse audiences. Many of us are now clustered together in official networks, under the umbrella of large, mainstream magazines or newspapers. Some independent blogs have grown into high-traffic sites, destinations unto themselves. Science bloggers are no longer limited to blog posts but are also writing books, recording podcasts, and uploading videos to YouTube. For many, science communication is a viable career.

When the three of us started blogging, the crowd was smaller. There were fewer science blogs, which meant it was easier to distinguish ourselves from other bloggers. It was easy to find our voices and to make ourselves heard. It was a time when someone sufficiently motivated could read just about every new blog post written about science each day.

That is no longer the reality. Today breaking in to online science communication can seem almost impossible. It can seem like there are dozens of new science blogs—not to mention YouTube channels and podcasts—popping up each day. But the Internet is still very much a frontier for science communicators. It’s the Wild West. Each time the scene threatens to become too settled, someone or something new arrives, keeping us all on our toes. The struggle was once to become heard at all; now the struggle is to remain relevant.

Maybe you’re reading this book because you wish to be that someone new. To disrupt the status quo. Or perhaps you’re here to get new ideas. Maybe you’re here to get your blog to the next level, to transition from blogging as a hobby to blogging as a career. Or maybe you’re here to figure out just where your voice fits in the online world.

No matter your goals, this book is here to help. We’ve brought twenty-seven of the most successful, insightful online science communicators together to share with you what their years of experience have taught them. All of their expertise is as current as we could make it; as of this writing all of the online references you’ll see are up-to-date and available.

But you don’t need to read this book cover to cover to learn what you need to know. Depending on your goals, there are different chapters, different paths through this book that will help you on your way. Here are just a few ideas.

Science blogging 101

Maybe you are getting started as a blogger and need ideas about how to proceed. In that case, you might start with Chapter 3, to learn the basics of setting up a science blog from Khalil A. Cassimally. Make sure you use and display images and artwork responsibly by checking out Chapter 4 by science artist Glendon Mellow. Then you might check out Chapters 7 and 8 by Danielle N. Lee and Zen Faulkes. They present two different views on science blogging, one from within an official blog network, and one at a personal, independent site.

As you get in gear, check out Chapter 1 by Christie Wilcox to remain mindful of why you’re blogging and what you want to achieve. And don’t forget that, though it is still young, science blogging has a rich history. See Carl Zimmer’s history of our online community in Chapter 2.

Once you have your blog up and running, it’s time to think about how you might best communicate your science to the wider world. It doesn’t all have to be long essays. Joe Hanson discusses how to be effective by being brief, in Chapter 10. And in Chapter 22, Rhett Allain covers some of the specific challenges that might arise when tackling the hard sciences.

Telling your own story

No one starting as a science communicator wants to get lost in the crowd. We all have different stories to tell, different angles we can use to communicate. But sometimes it can be difficult to find your own unique voice.

Your approach to science blogging might be influenced by your life experiences. In Chapter 11, Ben Lillie talks about using your personal experience to drive your works. Many bloggers are also heavily influenced by their identity. Alberto Roca offers thoughts on blogging as a minority-group member in Chapter 12, while Kate Clancy offers advice to other female bloggers in Chapter 13.

Many people come to science blogging through their careers. Colin Schultz writes about the benefits of blogging as an early career journalist in Chapter 14, while Marie-Claire Shanahan covers blogging as an educator in Chapter 16. Karl M. Bates considers blogging from inside the ivory tower as a public information officer in Chapter 15. For researchers who are blogging as a form of scientific outreach, Jason G. Goldman covers blogging as a graduate student in Chapter 17, while Greg Gbur takes it to the tenure track in Chapter 18.

While many fine blogs exist to explain concepts and cover research papers, not all of them need to conform to this standard. Scientist Travis Saunders and science writer Peter Janiszewski describe how they use their blog to cover scientific conferences in Chapter 21.

I have a blog. Now what?

If you’re already an experienced denizen of the online world, this book still has plenty to offer. Maybe you’ve been a small fish in the big science pond too long, unsure about how to find readers. Ed Yong offers insights on how to find your audience in Chapter 5. Many science bloggers are held back by their discomfort with self-promotion, but Liz Neeley will show you, in Chapter 20, that you have nothing to fear. Some bloggers may want to try moving beyond using words alone. To use interactive tools so that your readers will become participants rather than passive viewers, check out what Rose Eveleth suggests in Chapter 9.

Many science bloggers and communicators may think they are reaching the audience they want, but aren’t really sure how to look at their metrics. How do they know if anyone is really listening? Matt Shipman offers important insights on metrics in Chapter 19.

Writing on the Internet can be daunting. In Chapter 23, Emily Willingham covers how, and why, we might choose to write about controversial topics, and Melanie Tannenbaum gives some tips for countering trolls in Chapter 24. In Chapter 6, Janet D. Stemwedel shows how carefully we must consider ethical issues as we share information on the Internet.

Many blogs are written simply for the love of science and science communication. But career science communicators also need to pay the bills. Bethany Brookshire discusses getting paid for blogging in Chapter 25. And in the final chapter, Chapter 26, Brian Switek explains how your blog can serve as a sort of “writing laboratory” to help you develop ideas for the ultimate in long-form writing, a book.

By bringing together some of the most experienced voices from around the science blogosphere, we hope this book will have something to teach everyone. Whether you’re just getting started, have some blog posts under your belt, or are looking for fresh inspiration, you are not alone. The science communication community may seem overwhelming, but it’s friendly. Dive in and show us what you can do. Seriously. Tweet us and show us your stuff. And use our hashtag, #SciBlogGuide, and find us online at http://www.theopennotebook.com/science-blogging-guide.

Bethany Brookshire (@scicurious), Washington, D.C.

Jason G. Goldman (@jgold85), Los Angeles

Christie Wilcox (@nerdychristie), Honolulu