5 places to find great science story ideas

Photo by Max Saeling on Unsplash

It’s all very well to want to be a science journalist. But you might find, after you write a few core stories that have been on your mind, that it’s difficult to find inspiration. Where do you turn when you’re looking for ideas on what to write?

1. Talk to a scientist.
   As a science journalist, you should have some scientist buddies and you definitely should have scientist sources. One of the best ways to find stories is to ask your source or your friends out for a coffee — or a beer — and talk. Tell them you’re looking for ideas. Have there been any surprising breakthroughs in their world lately? Is there a problem that no one’s noticed? Is there a little-known result that could have big implications? Have a chat and search for stories.
2. Attend science conferences.
   Whenever and wherever you can, you should attend science conferences. In person is far better than online. In person, you can make new contacts, chat to people over sandwiches and coffee and find out about cool new science through in-person exhibits. You can set up interviews on the spot and you can find several story ideas in just a couple of days. Science conferences are fertile ground for story ideas.
3. Twitter.
   Scientists love Twitter. Just like politicians and journalists, really. Maybe we’re all going to move to Mastodon, but Twitter still has a lot of traction and you’ll find a lot of interesting debates about science matters on Twitter. Follow generic hashtags like #ScienceTwitter and #AcademicTwitter and you’ll find fascinating conversations about niche topics that are interesting for scientists.
4. The news.
   It goes without saying that all journalists, regardless of beat, need to be aware of what’s happening in the news. Watch, listen to or read the news every day and think about new angles that could arise in relation to the scientists you’ve interviewed or scientific topics that you’re familiar with. Is there a new technology that could help in a specific crisis? How does a particular news item affect scientists and researchers? Is there a specific research stream that would have strong opinions on a new law?
5. Politics.
   Likewise, the politics going on in your country can affect your stories. Follow political debates, especially in relation to your specific topic of interest, e.g. environment, transport or health. See what the politicians are debating about and evaluate what you can add to the story.

Good luck! And if you do write a science story in the near future, please do tag me, I would love to read it.

If you like this, sign up to my newsletter on science journalism — find out more here: https://www.catherinecollins.org/

or follow me on Twitter @C_Coll89