Submission Guidelines for Issue 07: Small Things

 

The Issue 07 theme is Small Things. The preferred deadline for submissions is May 16, 2024 at 11:59 PM PT.

The Small Things Issue will take us on a journey to uncover the extraordinary significance of the seemingly insignificant. Small things have the capability to hold immense power and intrigue, from subatomic particles that govern the fabric of reality to the minute details that control our everyday lives.

In this issue, we invite authors to illuminate the captivating realm of the minuscule. Delve into the intricate ecosystems of microorganisms, explore the cutting-edge advancements in nanotechnology, or unravel the profound implications of quantum mechanics on our understanding of the universe. From the tiniest cells to the most elusive particles, Small Things seeks to showcase the beauty, complexity, and deep impact of the small-scale phenomena surrounding us. Actions that seem innocuous can have profound reverberations.

We encourage submissions that delve into the hidden worlds of small things, offering fresh perspectives, engaging narratives, and compelling insights.

All stories must fit within the Small Things theme. We are looking for science-based stories. Issue 07 will lean toward deeply reported, objective, third-person stories with a firm foundation in the scientific literature. We are looking for fresh stories that include recent research. As with previous issues, we also welcome pitches for multimedia pieces.

Your story topic and angle should differ from stories we’ve published recently. Please read our past issues to get a sense of our style and what we have already covered.

Special note: Issue 08 of The Science Writer will be Time, and we will accept submissions starting in August/September of 2024.

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Eligibility:

To be eligible to pitch a story to The Science Writer, you must meet the requirements outlined below:

  • Be a current student in the Johns Hopkins University Science Writing Program

  • Have completed (or be exempted from) at least one of the following courses: “Techniques of Science-Medical Writing” OR “Contemporary Science-Medical Writing: Creative & Professional Forms”

  • One pitch per author per issue, please

How to submit:

The preferred deadline is 11:59 PM ET on May 16, 2024. We may choose to allow a few more stories after this time has passed, but it is highly advised to submit before the deadline.

You will be asked to upload your pitch AND story draft or outline into the form. At the bottom of your story/outline, include draft of a brief bio (about 75 words). The bio paragraph (not a CV, please) should be written in the third person.

If you have questions or have accessibility issues, please use the contact form on the website to reach us. Please do not pitch through the contact form.

Pitches are competitive, and we will stop accepting pitches once we have filled the issue.

We will try to notify you within two weeks of the status of your pitch.

Pitch Contents:

Pitches are competitive, and we will stop accepting pitches once we have filled the issue. It’s in your best interest to pitch early. Pitches for workshopped stories are encouraged, but stories not written for any particular class are also acceptable. Any story you pitch should have scientific evidence at its core. 

We prefer full first drafts with reporting substantially completed. We do accept story outlines, however they must be detailed with a strong sense of direction. Outlines must be accompanied by a writing sample or clips (coursework is allowed).

We do not accept previously published work — including publicly self-published work (Medium, personal blog, etc.) — or pitches that you are concurrently submitting to other publications. If you have submitted a story to The Science Writer, please do not submit it to another publication unless you notify us first. One pitch per issue, please.

Your pitch should incorporate the following information (not in a Q&A format and not necessarily in this order):

  1. Story angle (what is the story about, and what makes it intriguing?)

  2. The context that makes the story timely or relevant

  3. Key evidence that supports the angle

  4. Proposed department (see list of departments below) and approximate word count

  5. How your story addresses the issue’s theme

  6. Disclose any possible conflicts of interest

  7. Reporting plan (for example, who you have interviewed)

  8. Reasons you are qualified to write this story.

A note about fact-checking:

Authors are responsible for ensuring the veracity of the facts presented in their stories, for sourcing their facts from reliable primary sources (i.e. not secondary sources like Wikipedia, encyclopedias, blogs, etc.), and for documenting their sources. Note that you will be required to annotate one of your story drafts. Before pitching, please carefully read our Fact-Based Reporting and Annotating Guide for more detailed guidance.

Departments:

Features: Examples of features in The Science Writer

  • Feature stories are reported pieces that include at least two and preferably three interviews and familiarity with the literature. They are broader than a single study and involve some complexity, such as the intersection of science and society. The target word count for feature stories in The Science Writer is from 1,200 to 2,000 words. The target number of features fluctuates for each issue but usually ranges from four to six stories.

  • Example of a feature from another magazine: No one is prepared for hagfish slime. Ed Yong, The Atlantic, about 1,500 words.

Opinion & Essay: Examples of opinion & essay in The Science Writer

  • Opinion pieces, often written in the first person, are backed up by reporting. Ideally, they include at least two interviews and a strong familiarity with the literature. The writer should make an evidence-based case for the opinion presented. The target word count for opinion pieces in The Science Writer is between 800 and 1,200 words. Example of an opinion piece from another magazine: Opinion: The deep roots of outdoor recreation’s diversity gap. Joe Kanzangu, Undark. About 1,000 words.

  • Book reviews are a subset of the opinion category. These are reviews of science books published in the past 12 months. Interviews with the author, book subjects, or relevant experts are encouraged but not required. The focus should be on the relevance, importance, and soundness of the book’s reasoning and evidence, with some attention given to style and ease of reading. Word count target: 700 to 1,200 words. Example of a book review from another magazine: Life Ascending by Nick Lane – review. James Kingsland, The Guardian. About 700 words.

  • Essays are often written in the first person and do not require reporting, although some reporting or literature review is often helpful. Examples: Nature essays; essays about personal loss or growth that involve science, nature, or medicine.  Word count target: 800 to 1,500 words. Example of a personal essay from another magazine: Snowshoeing and other endangered activities. Anne N. Connor, Flyway Journal. About 800 words.

Research & Explainers: Examples of research and explainers in The Science Writer

  • Current research stories focus on one study published in a peer-reviewed journal within the past 12 months. Ideally, they include two interviews: One with a participating researcher and one with an independent expert who can comment on the study. Reporting for these stories requires familiarity with the literature but does not imply a detailed review of the literature within the story. The target word count for current research stories in The Science Writer is from 800 to 1,400 words. Example of a current research story from another magazine: Exercising during pregnancy protects mouse offspring. Jack J. Lee, The Scientist. About 300 words.

  • Explainers are short pieces that explain a trend, concept, or term that is of general interest but is difficult for a layperson to grasp. Lively but straightforward language is encouraged. Word count target: 800 to 1,400 words.  Example of an explainer from another magazine: Explainer: What is a neuron? Bryn St. Clair, Science News for Students, about 800 words.

Multimedia:

TERMS OF PUBLICATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS

By submitting content to or performing work for The Science Writer, the author or content creator (hereafter, contributor) grants The Science Writer exclusive publishing rights for a period of ninety (90) days, after which the contributor may seek to publish the submission elsewhere. The contributor retains the copyright to their work. We would appreciate a “first published in The Science Writer” credit, which we would honor with other publications. 

The contributor gives The Science Writer the right to publish the work on The Science Writer website and in promotional materials, to archive it indefinitely as part of the issue in which it appeared, and to include it in future anthologized print or electronic editions of The Science Writer. In some cases, The Science Writer may elect to re-feature archived work; this does not constitute a new publication.

By default, content published by The Science Writer will fall under Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license terms after the 90-day period of publishing exclusivity.*

*You, as the contributor, may prefer different or more restrictive licensing terms to govern public use of your content in The Science Writer after the 90-day exclusivity period has ended. Please indicate your preferences (such as First North American Serial Rights (FNASR), etc.) to your editor(s) on the submission/contributor form.

During the production process, The Science Writer editorial board may ask for multiple drafts, including notes, annotations, transcriptions/recordings, information about the contributor, and other details. Failure to provide such materials will risk delaying or stopping the production of a story. The production process also may be paused or delayed at any point by The Science Writer editorial board to conduct due diligence, investigate alleged misconduct, or perform factchecking. Unethical journalistic practices will result in a story being killed or retracted.

The Science Writer will utilize digital tools and systems that may require you to sign-up or create an account, such as Google Classroom. You as a contributor agree to utilize the these operational tools as part of the editorial process.

As with many other publications, The Science Writer reserves the right to make editorial decisions along any point of the submission and production process, including but not limited to headlines, subheaders, multimedia, stop of production, publishing schedule, changes in publication dates or cycles, retractions, updates, etc.

If you have questions, please use the contact form on the website to reach us. Please do not pitch through the contact form.