Finding Your Writing Niche: How I Became a specialist Freelance Science Writer
Once I started freelance writing full-time about this past year, I didn’t have much of an agenda. I happened to be applying to whatever leads I may find on sites like Elance and Odesk and attempting to build a portfolio which could simply get me more work. Because of this, my focus was scattered: a resume here, a few blog posts there, the ghostwritten eBook that is occasional.
This worked, in a manner of speaking. But I was losing more bids I had was to bid low and bid often than I was landing—and the main weapon. This is bad not just for my own bottom line but for the freelancer community at large and I also knew it. Eventually, though, that I had a background I could draw on that would allow me to specialize as I started to get steady work in a few areas I realized.
Pre-freelance
Prior to going into freelance writing full-time, I spent a number of years as a research biologist. I originally started on that path because brilliant science writers like Stephen Jay Gould and Carl Zimmer had opened within the world of the natural sciences to me with creativity and wit. I had finally found something worth planning to college for. As an undergraduate I fell so in love with Ecology—the branch of biology for creative types—and spent the second years that are few for the reason that world.
After college and a stint in grad school, I quickly realized that there aren’t many jobs for ecologists when you look at the real life, therefore I decided to go to work in some other areas. I did research in public places health, infectious disease, and neuroscience, while volunteering with the Audubon Society plus in community gardens. All the while I was building a solid foundation that will help me to eventually find my specialization, although I didn’t know it at the time.
Finding my niche
Fast-forward to about half a year ago, once I realized that almost all jobs I was landing were in Science and Medical Writing. Not only that, however these working jobs paid a lot more than many of the other jobs I became fighting over along with other freelancers as we all slashed our bids to your minimum. I already had a portfolio of articles on avian ecology, molecular biology, organic gardening techniques, and public health. I had real credentials and a resume that is solid. And I could present myself as an expert writer in these areas. So I rebranded myself as just that: a professional science writer focusing on environmental news, medical writing, research, gardening and green tech.
My proposals became more targeted. I was submitting fewer of these, but immediately saw a much higher acceptance rate. Because I became only applying for jobs in which I knew I happened to be probably one of the most qualified writers within the room, I could spend more time on my proposals and ask for higher rates. I already knew which buzz words would demonstrate that I was confident with scientific nomenclature. And clients taken care of immediately that. I occupy a great niche: I’m not a med student seeking to generate income regarding the side—I’m a freelance writer. But I’m also not a generalist freelance writer—I’m a professional Science and Medical freelance writer.
There are pitfalls to specializing—and it is vital that you prevent them. Try not to create your section of expertise so specific that you could only bid using one kind of job. In the place of being just a science writer or simply a writer that is medical I’m both. But I have a diverse portfolio in both of these areas as well. We have years of experience as a gardener, but am formally trained as an Ecologist. And I also have worked in public health, but also understand biology that is molecular. If i possibly could only bid on a single of these areas, i might be severely limited in terms of the jobs that would be available to me.
The first rule to being a successful expert science writer may be drawn directly from Evolutionary Biology. A few of the most successful organisms use a technique called optimal foraging behavior: they search for the foodstuff which they know will give you the biggest payoff, but are ready to look for other sources of income in the meantime. As an science that is expert, We have a couple of areas that are my specialty, but I’m not above writing a number of gardening guides if I can’t find a huge job when it comes to week.
Secondly, know your limitations. As an incident study, when I first rebranded my freelance business, I made the mistake of bidding on a job that has been frankly beyond my scope of expertise—liquid chromatography, a laboratory means of purifying mixtures. I became vaguely familiar along with it, and I had a background in molecular biology techniques like PCR; how hard can it be?
As it ended up liquid chromatography is highly complex. And with no direct experience or theoretical training I couldn’t learn them overnight in them. It does not matter how much scientific training you have in other areas, or how quick an autodidactic study you may be. I ultimately had to cancel that job and lost a client that is potentially long-term. Therefore the rule that is second: don’t believe that being a professional science writer makes you a Science Expert. Stay glued to the fields you understand very well, and will also be quality material that is consistently publishing.
Thirdly, always be searching for opportunities to become better at your work. I no longer act as a researcher in Ecology and Evolution, but that doesn’t mean I ever lost my love of the niche. I still attend conferences about environmental issues within my area, nevertheless now as a known member associated with the public in the place of a researcher. I never stopped subscribing to magazines that concentrate on nature and ecology, and today personally i think confident to send query letters to them. And organizations such as the National Association of Science Writers have lots of resources for science writers.
Finally, have fun. I like writing, and I also love science essays helper. Devoted to science writing has allowed us to take on projects that I find engaging and interesting. I am able to produce work I’m pleased with, and I’m constantly learning more about the natural world.
About the author:
Jim Daley is a freelance writer based in Chicago. After being employed as an investigation biologist in avian ecology, public health, and infectious disease, he gone back to his first love—writing. He contributes content to science and gardening websites. On his blog, jimdaleywrites, he explores the process of balancing endeavors that are creative professional freelance writing.