A writing fellowship on scientific progress

Works in Progress and Asimov Press are launching a paid six-month fellowship.

Today, we’re opening applications for a long-term writers’ fellowship, hosted jointly by Works in Progress and Asimov Press. We are looking for four to six writers who, over a six-month period, will produce richly detailed articles about a selected area of scientific progress. These could include writing on biotechnology, metascience, technology in China, the history of science, or just about anything in between. We will prioritize writers covering issues that are of interest to both of our organizations. This fellowship was made possible with support from Stripe.

The fellowship’s goal is to help writers produce one complete article of a standard suitable for publication in either of our magazines, every month. We will provide:

• Mentorship. Partner up with an editor at one of our organizations, and check in with them regularly for advice and feedback. We will connect you to external experts as needed.

• Editorial guidance. Asimov Press and Works in Progress will work with you to edit your work and help you strengthen your writing and editing skills.

• Publicity and promotion. Asimov Press and Works in Progress will work together to support and promote your work, as well as help you publish articles in our magazines or elsewhere.

• Networking: Network with other writers in the cohort at dinners and in-person events.

• Payment. We will pay each fellow a stipend of $1,500 per month, contingent on the completion of a high-quality, edited piece of writing. (Regardless of whether we choose to include it in either of our publications, or encourage you to put it on your own Substack or blog.)

• Additional support. Our goal is to find and develop writers who will become long-term contributors. We’ll provide reasonable support for reporting trips, scientific illustrations, and whatever else you need to produce your best work.

• No lectures. Just a Slack group and asynchronous support.

If this sounds appealing, we hope you’ll apply. We’re especially keen to work with writers who already have a blog or have done public-facing writing, and who have a deep fascination with a specific slice of science. We appreciate nonconformism and originality,, as well as young people who deserve more recognition for their ideas.

Applications are open and should take about 15 minutes to complete. We’ll close applications on March 1st, invite a few people to interview, and make final selections by early April. The fellowship will run from mid-April to mid-October and will be done remotely.

We look forward to hearing from you!