Tips from the pros (and almost pros)

We've been talking a lot in our workshop sessions about narrative--choosing a clear story to tell, and ensuring that what you've written tells that story, whether it's about a person (and their scientific life) or an idea, or an experiment.

Carl Zimmer recently shared his thoughts on story, editing, and blogging as they relate to science writing. Avoiding jargon and capturing your readers' attention are critical, according to Ed Yong, who highlights effective writing examples, including one from Zimmer.

If you're in the UK, you can put these suggestions into practice, submitting something to the Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize 2012 (800 words, due April 25th, 2012). If you're not in the UK, though, you'll have to be content browsing the shortlisted articles and winners of last year's contest for inspiration...