Everyone seems to be moving around at the moment—maybe it’s the economy, or maybe they’re just trying to keep warm. Well, now it’s my turn. After more than two years at Nature, and 10 years in science publishing, I’m about to wave goodbye to the office and embark on a freelance career. < /bombshell>
It’s something I’ve always wanted to try, and it feels like now or never while I have neither mortgage nor children, and have plenty of savings.
But it’s not goodbye. From the point of view of Nature Network, I won’t be going anywhere. How could I leave you all? It’s like an extended family on here. Nature has been gracious enough to let me carry on in a freelance capacity, running the London hub, its blog, forum and events calendar. I’ll even be reigniting the pub networking evenings, once I’ve settled into the new way of working.
Nature Network will take up only a portion of my week. The rest of my time will be spent pursuing my chief passion: exploring and writing about London (sometimes with a scientific slant, sometimes not). Those of you who know me are aware how obsessed I am with the capital. Over the past few years, I’ve built up a strong network of contacts and outlets for my London writing. I have several exciting projects lined up already for the new year. It seems like a good time (economy notwithstanding) to make a go at it. I’m very excited.
This is my final week in the office in 2008, but I’ll be on the Network throughout the Christmas period, followed by a final office week in January. I’m going to miss all my colleagues here enormously (especially the unsung Li Kim, who’s worked diligently behind the scenes on Nature Network since before I joined). But I ain’t going far. My grinning countenance will pop up on Nature Network even more frequently now I’m dispensing with such time-consuming distractions as a daily commute, planning meetings and office banter.
Great things are planned for Nature Network in 2009 (just you wait…oh just you wait), and I’m looking forward to being part of them.
it feels like now or never while I have neither mortgage nor children, and have plenty of savings
In that case, avoid the reproductive imperative as long as possible
Nor were these words without import
Because his uncle did a sort
Of something in the City which
Had made him fabulously rich
(Although his brother, John’s Papa
Was poor, as many fathers are)
Good luck Matt!! I’m glad you’ll still be around on here, though.
Yes, best of luck and I’m sure you’ll keep us informed :)
Kaboom! Meanwhile, we were only half-joking around with GrrlScientist at SciBlog ‘08 that you and she should run science tours of London (you’d need another gregarious tour guide) and propose your services to visiting science and medicine-related conferences. Best of luck and look forward to hearing about further developments!
Thanks everyone.
Haha, funnily enough, Heather, one of the projects I’ll be working on involves writing guided walks. But not sciency ones.
Good luck Matt! I hope you’ll be blogging about the nitty gritty of your freelancing adventures as well as about London!
(Cath dreams of ditching the mortgage and going freelance. Sigh.)
Given that the Institute of |Physics published a book “A Random Walk in Science”, there may well be a market for your tours.
Congrats Matt. As a fellow Londonophile (I don’t know if that’s the right word), can’t wait to see what you’ll uncover about the city.
Good luck, Matt!
Good luck and well wishes from the other side of the Pond. Sounds brave and I am a bit envious of the courage ;) It sounds indeed like an adventure and I am happy that you are staying here at NN for while at least so we can know what you are up too.
Good luck, Matt. I’m glad to see you’re not leaving NN it wouldn’t be the same without you.
Have fun freelancing, and i hope you won’t charge too much when you organise next year’s ScienceBlogging pub crawl!
I’ll miss you in person, Matt – though since you moved from underneath my boxes of back issues to somewhere down a few stairs and across a few corridors, I don’t see you so much. I’m glad you are still going to be at Nature Network, it would not be the same without your friendly, guiding presence. As I share your high regard for Li Kim, I promise to look after her after you’ve gone -;).Now all you need to do is to get together with Charles Wenz (_Nature_’s managing production editor and the man who puts together the covers in such a brilliant way) and the best book ever to be written about London might get written!
My best to you – as I said, I’ll miss you a lot. I look forward to reading about your future exploits, as you have them.
This goes without saying but the NN team (ie. me) will miss you too. But of course it’s not really goodbye. Best of luck with your freelance endeavours.
More of items like this please M@. A true M@ classic.
So very cool that you can follow your heart. Hope you have tons of fun with your freelancing gig(s). I will very much miss our weekly catch-ups, but am happy that I will be able to track your progress through NN! I wish you the best of luck!
All the best with it, Matt; you read like you’ve found yourself.
Congratulations, Matt!
I’ve vaguely contemplated the pros and cons of a freelance life, and I’m sure you’ll fit right into it.
Good to hear that NN will still be part of it, and that there will be someone there to look after Li Kim (or is it vice versa?) too.
Have fun!
Oh wow, Congrats Matt & best of luck!