Opportunities for Archaeologists in Public Writing and Communication [Foundational Skills]
The public loves learning about archaeology through news stories, magazines, podcasts, and other mass media outlets. Many archaeologists are well positioned and motivated to create this content, but few know how to enter the mass media industry. This session will provide guidance for anyone interested in pop-science press—from those seeking to dip their toes to individuals who want to pivot careers to science journalism. Rolling back the curtain around pop-science media, we’ll discuss behind-the-scenes processes that transform stories from an author’s initial inklings to professional publications. These include how to “pitch” a story to popular outlets such as Discover or The New York Times and how to work with journalist editors. The seminar will also review different story types (such as op-eds, news, features), media (written, audio, visual, photo), and entryways including occasional contributions, internships, freelance work, and career paths.