Resources

If you’re an academic editor (or an aspiring one), here are some pages and communities that help in different ways:

• Editorial Rates - Editorial Freelancers Association: survey-sourced rates for different editorial services. You can also join the association for a fee (full disclosure: I am not a member).

• Editors of Color Database: if you’re an editor of color, list yourself on this database so that people can find you.

• Scientific Editors Network: free to join and has resources, a mailing list, and monthly webinars on different aspects of scientific editing. You can also list yourself as a freelancer on their database.

• Academic Editing Circle: want to help BIPOC students, get help as one yourself, or just connect with some really cool editors who care about justice? You might find something here. We also offer free mentoring!

• Northwest Editors Guild: I’m not a member here yet, but they have a lot of good resources and monthly chats that anyone can join.

• Copyediting-L: a mailing list for all things editing (and sometimes not-editing).

• Editors Tea Club: a safe, supportive Slack group started by editor Erin Servais, for women editors (any women) to learn from and enjoy the company of other women editors. If you’d like to join, please email editorsteaclub@gmail.com.

• Rabbit with a Red Pen: editor Crytal Shelley has a comprehensive set of editing resources if you’ve been scratching your head about APA style, the usage frequency of some words, or even the best rhyming words.

Want to learn more about science writing?

• The Open Notebook: there’s a reason why this is one of the most widely shared science writing resources. Find anything from a example pitches to daily routines of writers, writing tips, email courses, and fellowships.

• preLights: want to report on preprints but not sure where to start? Try this website, run by the Company of Biologists, where scientists pick preprints and summarise them, complete with insightful questions posed to the preprint authors.

• National Association of Science Writers: paid membership required to access all the resources, but I think it’s worth it. You get access to a large community, frequent webinars on professional development and different aspects of science writing, job boards, and fellowships aplenty.

• Council for the Advancement of Science Writing: another organisation with a good collection of fellowships, grants, and workshops. They recently lauched a collection of resources for science writers as well.

• SciComm Coworking: a Discord server for when you just don’t want to work alone. This one’s geared towards European timezones, though, so it might not be accessible to everyone.

• Sentient Media: want to write about agriculture, climate science, or animal rights? Check out this space. You can pitch them stories, but they also have a network for food and farming journalism where you can learn from others.

• Robin LLoyd’s list of media outlets to pitch: a very large (and updated) collection of media outlets (science and otherwise) to pitch.

• Non-SEJ Environmental Journalism Fellowships and Workshops: updated list of science journalism fellowships and deadlines.

• Diverse Sources: tired of interviewing the dominant species of researcher for your stories and don’t quite know how to change that? This might help.

• Freedom With Writing: monthly emails with pitch calls and job openings. Not always about science writing, but they have interviewed editors at Science News, BMJ, Nature Careers, and Hakai, so worth keeping an eye on

• KSJ Fact-Checking Project: a place to learn the fundamentals of fact-checking. You can also list yourself as a fact-checker on their database so that people can find you easily.

Ok, that’s all well and good, but how do you even get started as a freelancer? (Disclaimer: nearly everything here is tailored to the U.S., because that’s where I work now. If I move anywhere else, this will be updated to include resources for that region)

• New to Freelancing? A Resources Guide: a rather comprehensive guide to all things freelancing in the U.S., set up by the wonderful Freelance Solidarity Project (linked below). There’s really not much I have to add beyond what’s on this page.

• Freelance Solidarity Project: a real, live union of digital freelance workers, toiling to make things better for freelancers across the U.S. It’s never too early to make or be a part of change.

• Freelancers Union: don’t get confused by the name. It’s not a union, but it is an organisation with lots and lots of useful resources for freelancers, like how to plan your finances and taxes.

• The Writers’ Co-op: one of my favourite podcasts to learn about negotiating contracts, finding clients, and setting goals for your business. The website has courses, webinars, and training materials for a cost, but the podcast is free!