I am a scientist who writes.
The above sentence could be the closest that I’ve ever been to an epiphany, and that is why I decided to turn it into a blogpost.
As of 2019, I have been in this “non academic writing adventure” for almost nine years. The Baldscientist blog appeared for the first time in 2010. Four years later The First Brain was published, and four years after that, Strange Survivors came to light (I broke this pattern with Drunk Flies and Stoned Dolphins, published in 2021).
As part of my ongoing “series” on popular science writing blog posts, I decided to think a little about a few things that academic scientists might experience. I haven’t thought about this for too long, so it is likely that I will add things as this topic develops.
In this post I will just post a few of these nuggets, without explanation. What I envision doing is to write a separate post for each “what you should expect” entry, but of course, I will be flexible.
A few important points:
1. Even though I have said it before, it bears repeating: I am not an insider in the publishing industry.
2. Unless I state otherwise, whatever I write is based on my personal experiences and/or personal opinions.
3. I absolutely love writing popular science and paradoxically, I find it difficult to precisely express why (go figure!).
4. The above said, I’d like to emphasize on some ‘kind of not so positive points” in order to help others navigate these proverbial waters.
Ready? Here we go…
*Depending on how old you are, but at any rate more likely than not, you will experience ageism.
*Be aware of the fact that the Sagan Effect is alive and well.
*Trolls exist, and some of the meanest ones are fellow scientists.
*At times you may feel that you do not belong anywhere.
*Your critics (and you will have critics) may have ulterior motives that have nothing to do with your writing.
*If you are a practicing scientist, you must master the ability to write science when you are writing science and write popsci when you are writing popsci. This ability will come with time.
Have any ideas or questions? Talk to you soon!
😊
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**If you like what I write, and would like to spread the word about this blog, I’d really appreciate it.
**You can subscribe to my blog. Just go to the “Home” page, right hand side.
**For a list of all my scientific papers please click HERE.
**I wrote the first chapter on this technical book. And another chapter in this other technical book.
**I have authored two popular science books (so far). For my Amazon author page, click here.
**Here’s my Goodreads author page.
**Want to see more of the things I write? Go here for some other posts.
**Shoot me a message if you have any questions. (orpagan@yahoo.com)
**Finally, my Twitter handle: @Baldscientist
**For the customary (and very important) disclaimers please go to my “About” page…
Great post, One, and as one of your colleagues in the scientist writing for the general population, I completely agree. I will admit though that I have it easier, because I started writing a blog and books, only after retirement, which helps to avoid some of those problems a little
Your comments on writing are truer than most believe. Everyone should aspire to be more like Carl Sagan– Long May You Run!
Nice article! I appreciate your writing. And yes, I enjoyed “Firs (PS you should remove that link to your blogpost since it does not go anywhwere)