Advice on how to start
Shaenandhoa García Rangel
Saturday, 15 August 2009 11:17 UTC
Dear all
I am currently a PhD student. I am very interesting on the editing process of all kinds of scientific literature, both in English and Spanish.
I would like your advice on ways of becoming more involved in this field, since I aspire to be a freelancer or part time editor in a few years time.
So far I have done volunteer work for my university scientific magazine and publications in my field.
Thank you
Shena
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Replies
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Hi,
I’m on that same track, although I’d like to become a full time editor for a journal.
This is a great question and I hope we can get some very interesting replies.The only thing I’ve done until now is an internship at “Science Editor”, the periodical of the Council of Science Editors and also, I keep a scientific blog, which keeps me writing every week (http://amontenegro.blogspot.com).
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Dear Shena and Alejandro
Thanks for your posts. If you look at some of the other entries in this forum, you’ll find plenty of discussion and advice on exactly these questions.
As you are doing, Shena, volunteer writing and editing is great. If you have your own blog or website, you can showcase your work (provide a URL on your CV). Bascially, these jobs are very hard to get, so anything you can do to gain experience for your CV is going to help you.
Read publications or websites in your area of interest and see if they will accept freelance contributions or offer internships.
Also, as advised previously in this forum, if you apply for a job at a publication, make sure you research the publication, including reading some recent issues. If you get an interview, it is always impressive to a prospective employer if you are interested in, and know about, the publication concerned. You might be surprised at how many candidates do not do this research, so it will help your application to stand out.
Please also see the Nature Jobs careers advice forum – in particular, the upcoming Source Event conference.
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Dear Alejandro and Maxine
Thank you very much for your posts. I will definitely follow your advice.
Alejandro, lets keep in touch and share info on this subject!
S
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