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

Who’s paying?

Science blogging and money

Bethany Brookshire

Online science communication might be fun, and it might teach the communicator a lot about the craft. But in the end, we all have to eat. Bethany Brookshire, a scientist who made the transition from part-time freelance blogger to full-time staff blogger at Science News, will tell you how to make the blog pay off financially.

When science writers and scientists first started writing science blogs, they were often framed as casual affairs. Some people still refer to their science blogs, video series, podcasts, and the like as “laboratories”—places where they can play with new ideas and new forms of presentation.

When I started blogging in 2008, I felt that my science blog was a volunteer effort. I was using it as a classroom, a way to improve my own writing and reach the masses at the same time. Many academics feel uncomfortable even asking for money; they assume that blogging falls under “outreach activities” and is therefore something they have a responsibility to do for free. It was considered enough to blog for “exposure,” for a bigger audience, for more outreach.

Much has changed since 2008. Blog posts are increasingly formal, edited pieces, many of which appear on well-known sites. Bloggers do extensive reporting and fact-checking. In the absence of editors or other writing support, many bloggers end up doing it all, single-handedly producing polished pieces that are among some of the best science writing currently available. These days, the distinction between blogging and writing can be a matter of reporting, opinion, or editing effort—or simply be entirely arbitrary.

As my own blog grew in popularity, as I put in more time and effort, and as I began to see that this would be my career, I started to ask myself: why am I doing this for free? Now when people ask me if I can write a post for them, and say that I will benefit from “exposure,” I have a standard reply: “People die from exposure.”

In this chapter, we’ll explore the different ways to use your blogging career to add to your pocketbook. Why? Because you are worth it.

Know your worth

When I was an academic blogging in my free time, it took me a long time to realize that my words were worth money. I bought into the idea that my efforts constituted outreach and that it was my responsibility. Perhaps it is. But that doesn’t mean that it should be an uncompensated responsibility. For while blogging for free might be high-minded, it negates the efforts of the many professional science communicators out there. We work very hard, and deserve to be paid for what we do. Every time someone is willing to come in and do the same work for free, or for less, that’s one less chance for professionals to make a living. This race to the bottom, with people always willing to write for a lower price, lowers the market value of our work. The less editors feel they have to pay, the less they will offer.

Your high-quality work, your time, is worth more than that.

Starting out

As you start out, of course, no one will know who you are. You’re not necessarily going to be able to “sell” your blog right off the bat. Building up a body of high-quality posts is the foundation for your money-making endeavors. Produce good content, and do it regularly. For some this may mean five days a week. For others, this may mean more extensive pieces once a week, or even once a month.

If you are already in science writing, blogging may be extra work in addition to a full-time writing job, or a supplement to a paying internship or freelancing for other outlets. It may also be extra work in addition to a full-time career as a scientist. But a professional body of work is essential to showing what you can do. Your blog or site can serve as a place not only to experiment with writing and to build up good posts, but also to collect your work—your clips, appearances, and so on—and show it off. It’s a place for potential editors and employers to find more of your work.

Once you have content, you need visibility. The science communication community on the Internet is as much about networking as it is about communicating scientific ideas. Look for someone with the audience you want—maybe a lot of non-scientist Twitter followers. Connect with them and tell them about your work. Find other science communicators and ask for their feedback. Ask them for advice and get prominent people to promote you. Make and maintain a social media presence where you share not only your work, but also the work of other writers whom you admire, so your Twitter feed, Facebook, or other site will be a place where people go to find good content. Building contacts with other science communicators makes it more likely that editors will see your work. And people who know you and respect your work will make it their priority to hire you and pay you.

When I first started getting paid for my blogging, I was afraid to ask for too much. I was worried about meeting editors and was sure they would not be impressed if they met me. Finally I met someone with influence at a conference. As I blogged for the conference, I apparently impressed her. I made an effort to stay in touch with her, because I knew she hired writers. In the end, she encouraged me to apply for a large and very advantageous position that she had open. I had to produce a proposed budget and pay schedule along with my outline for the project. When I sent it in, she sent it back immediately, telling me to “look at the budget again.” What she meant was “ask for more money.” Never be afraid to ask.

Once you are writing with regularity, and have built a network of professional contacts, there are several roads to a paycheck in the world of blogging. Some may work for your personal site. Others may benefit both you and your career in science communications.

Ads

Google Ads and other ad software are some of the easiest things to add to your site. These simple widgets can be added to WordPress or blogger templates, or to your own custom-made template.

Ad software has immediate rewards. It doesn’t require editors or pitching. All it requires is an audience. Keep in mind, however, that ads seldom bring in much money. Most ad software requires views in the millions to be profitable, and most science communicators who go this route are looking merely for enough cash to cover the costs of site hosting, without any extra for time and effort. Jason Thibeault, a blogger at Freethought Blogs, says of their Google Ads, “We make enough to keep the lights on and get a few bells and whistles now and again.” But he notes that most of the bloggers at the site rarely get more than fifty dollars per month.

It is also important to keep in mind that with many types of ad software, you can’t control what a viewer sees. It can be awkward to write a post condemning those who oppose genetically modified foods . . . and have an ad touting non-GMO products in the sidebar. Thibeault reports that at Freethought Blogs “we will often have to play whack-a-mole with objectionable ads, where we will ask our ad managers to remove certain ads, and they’ll just reappear later when the ad campaign picks up a new buy.” So while ads may be worthwhile to keep the site running, they do have their downsides.

Other sponsorships

For those who do end up with a wildly popular blog, Facebook page, or YouTube channel, full-time jobs may be available. Your YouTube channel might be picked up by PBS or another large group, or companies may request to advertise on your page.

These jobs, sponsorships, and ads can be useful and even lucrative, allowing you to devote yourself to those projects full-time. But they should also be considered carefully. Will having this particular sponsorship add or detract from your own reliability as a communicator? A video series supported by PBS is a good thing. An energy blog supported by a multinational oil corporation might be more suspect. If you are a freelancer, it’s also important to read contracts. What would the sponsorship mean for your content? Does your sponsor want editorial control? Who has the rights to your work?

Grants

There are grants out there to help science communicators achieve their goals and get their work out to the world. Many of these are intended for dedicated sites on a single topic, or for book projects. The National Association of Science Writers, for example, funds grants that focus on science communication, including books like this one. The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation also offers grants for science communication work. Many universities offer science communication scholarships, and some other organizations offer short-term fellowships. There are many other outlets that might help the budding science communicator get paid for his or her content (some of which are listed on the companion website for this book).

Grants, however, are never a sure thing. Many have a relatively narrow focus or are extremely competitive. Day to day, it might be best to rely instead on one of the following strategies.

Try a network

There are many reasons, personal and professional, that joining a blogging network may or may not work for you. But most of the larger networks, such as Scientific American Blog Network, National Geographic Phenomena, Discover Magazine Blogs, and Wired do pay their bloggers. Dollar amounts vary, and are almost never enough by themselves to make a living, but they do provide some compensation. And they connect you with a well-respected, established brand.

The byline connected with your writing can, in turn, bring in more paying work. An invitation to join the Scientific American Blog Network in 2010 allowed me to use the “SciAm” name at conferences. This led to better networking, meetings with editors, and freelancing opportunities at the Guardian and Slate. Eventually, having been on a high-profile network like Scientific American’s led another magazine to offer me a position as a full-time staff writer. The paycheck from my blogging may have been small, but the professional dividends were considerably larger. In the end, they led to a steady salary.

If you are going to try a network, it’s worth reaching out to editors and writers who are already part of that community. Ask what the requirements are (a certain number of page views or a certain number of posts per month, for example), what the experience is like, and how much editorial control they have. Ask writers within those networks if they are willing to say how much they get paid and to describe the basic terms of their contracts.

If you reach out to editors, ask what they are looking for in a blogger. Is there a niche they are looking to fill? A new point of view? A different format like video or podcasting? Read the collection of blogs already present: is there a space for yours? Could you offer a new perspective or attract a new audience? If you find a space where your blog can fit, you might have an easier time selling your blog to a network. Ideally the network will benefit from your presence while you benefit from its name and support.

Freelance blogging

If you are a science writer setting out to make a name for yourself, freelance blogging can help to fill the gaps between larger pieces. Not only does freelance blogging get your name out to a wider audience; it helps you to meet editors, build your clips, and even make a little bit of cash.

Many outlets now have paid freelance bloggers, hired on a post-by-post basis. Slate, Scientific American, Discover, io9, the Guardian, the BBC, and DoubleXScience are just a few examples of sites that hire freelance science bloggers. While such outlets tend to pay much less for blog posts than for full pieces, blog posts also tend to be assigned faster, come out more quickly, and go through a less extensive editing process.

Search for science sites that publish pieces in your area of expertise: do they hire freelancers? Are any of those freelancers also bloggers? What kind of bloggers do they hire and how might you fit that profile? How do the blogs on a given site differ from the other content?

Reach out to those who have previously blogged for your site of interest. Ask them about their experiences, what the process was like, and how they pitched their ideas. Ask them how much they expected to get paid. Not everyone will tell you, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

As you make your way around the world of science communication, both at conferences and on social media, keep an eye out for editors. It helps to introduce yourself to editors and make them aware of your work. Ask them what they are looking for. When the time comes, send them a pitch.

When I was beginning to write professionally, I was lucky enough to meet Laura Helmuth, the science editor at Slate. As it happened, she was looking for writers, and was especially interested in promoting female science writers on the site. When an editor requests pitches, don’t lower your eyes modestly and say no. I pitched. I got a post. And I got paid!

Writing a pitch for a blog post is very much like writing any other pitch for any other type of piece. Consider what makes your proposal novel. Think about how it fits into the venue. But also consider how much time you are willing to put in to write it. Many editors use blog posts as a mechanism for getting more content for less money. You will probably get paid less—perhaps as much as 90 percent less—than for an “article” of the same length.

This may make you consider your options. Can you offer the post to a network that pays better? In addition, consider how much time you may want to offer. No one would want to turn in bad work, but at the same time, a sixty-dollar blog post may result in less perfect prose than your first five-dollar-per-word National Geographic feature. You get what you pay for, after all.

Odds and making ends meet

Blogging on its own may not routinely bring home the bacon. But the experience and networking that you gain from a social media presence has other benefits. Many bloggers, myself included, have gone on to paid speaking gigs, freelance writing and editing assignments, and paid podcasting and video projects. Many bloggers now make their way as freelance writers. My blogging finally paid off in a full-time staff position.

What can you conclude from all this? There is no one way for a science communicator to make money. There are networks, Google Ads, sponsorships, blog posts, videos, and audio for various outlets. Some outlets pay well, some pay less, and some will ask you to blog simply for exposure. As you progress in your career, weigh your options carefully and keep track of what you hear as you build your professional network of other communicators. Know which sites will pay, how well they pay, and what kind of work they are most likely to publish. In the end, freelance blogging isn’t very different from freelance writing more generally, as blog streams and freelance writing rivers meld into one digital writing ocean. This means that just like with freelance writing, you should never be afraid to ask for fair compensation. You are worth it.

Bethany Brookshire is an award-winning science writer at Science News and Society for Science & the Public. She runs the Scicurious blog and manages social media for Science News for Students. She is also the guest editor of The Open Lab Anthology: The Best Science Writing Online, 2009.

Bethany is based in Washington, D.C. Find her at her blog, http://www.scicurious.org, or follow her on Twitter, @scicurious.