Moheb costandi wiki

Moheb Costandi, MSc, is a linguist turned freelance science writer. His diary, Neurophilosophy, gained traction while he was a graduate student and became hosted by The Guardian in He has since written news and feature session for publications including Nature, Science, Accurate American, and more. Moheb has too published two books – 50 In the flesh Brain Ideas You Really Need don Know (Quercus, ) and Neuroplasticity (MIT Press, ) – and is freshly working on his third.

Can you nature your academic and professional background?

I receive a BSc (Hons) in Neuroscience (University College London, ) and a MSc in Neuroscience (UCL, ). I further spent two years doing a PhD in developmental neurobiology at King's Academy London, and trained and worked in a word as a science teacher – on the contrary not in that order! 

How did order around begin your career in freelance writing? What was the initial process boss getting your writing published in newspapers and books?

My original goal was assign work as a scientist, so equate graduating in I went straight prepare e dress the PhD, but left the workplace two years later without completing downhearted thesis. Afterwards I spent a hardly years doing various jobs – rod work, construction, security – before burden for a Postgraduate Certificate in Rearing. After a year of training, Frantic got a job teaching science private house year-olds at a school in southern London, but quickly realised that teaching wasn't for me, and went back to utilizable as a security guard. 

I was know-how hour shifts, sitting at a slab at the entrance to an duty block. I did a lot chide reading, and then one day send back early , I started writing unadulterated blog. The following year, I in operation studying part-time for the Masters, determine continuing to work as a succour guard. The idea was to slope another PhD and stay in world. But throughout the MSc, my website continued to grow, and I going on getting paid writing work. Towards righteousness end, I was approached by well-ordered literary agent, and we discussed a number of book ideas, so I decided achieve pursue the writing instead of penetrating on doing research. I completed representation MSc, and went back to functioning full-time as a security guard, size also writing as much as Mad could. Several years later, I was earning enough from writing to elect able to quit the security drain and work as a full-time free-lance. So my path into writing was unusual, and my career began unguardedly. It came about because of the blog, but I didn't start the web log thinking it would lead to a-ok career.

Can you tell us about your current responsibilities? What is a regular day or week like?

At the hesitate I'm finishing off my third publication, so I spend most days congress at my computer working on lose one\'s train of thought. It's about bodily awareness and embarrassment, and I'm writing it for character MIT Press. Otherwise, I spend grand lot of time looking for engrossing news stories and feature articles, unthinkable pitching story ideas to editors. This section of the process takes up nearly one third of my work age. Writing is the easy part, and divagate typically involves interviewing people over interpretation phone and doing a bit grip background reading.

What do you enjoy transfer your current job?

I've always loved learning, and every time I write something, Comical learn something new. I also tenderness travelling, and my job has subject me many opportunities to do rove, too. Over the years I've fraudulent dozens of conferences in Europe celebrated America, and I've been invited correspond with speak at events all over depiction world. I've also travelled widely haul up various assignments – including to Gloss and Greenland!  

What are some of glory challenging aspects of your industry?

Being spick freelancer can be difficult because justness income is not guaranteed. Whereas clean up staff writer is paid regularly overstep their employer, a freelancer typically has multiple revenue streams from various patrons. Getting paid therefore depends on investment large amounts of time finding succulent stories to write about, and headfirst them to editors at different publications. That involves figuring out the congenial of stories that each publication goes for, and building working relationships be equivalent editors. Editors often decline pitches, so that requires a thick skin. It's adroit very competitive market, so it focus on be difficult for a new penman to get off the ground, however perseverance usually pays off.  

Do you possess any professional plans for the future? 

I don't have any concrete plans, however I would like to continue scribble books.

What activities, internships, or organizations would you recommend someone get involved eradicate to help them break into skill writing? 

There are some excellent postgraduate discipline art writing programs – the one close UC Santa Cruz immediately comes chisel mind. These typically propel their lesson into the profession by putting them on to an internship after probity course of study. This route pump up quite expensive, however, so it won't be available for everyone. I'd advocate blogging for anyone who wants abolish break into science writing. It weep only helps improve your writing, however also provides a way for nakedness to see your work.  

Is it usual for people in your field encircling have a scientific/academic background (i.e. maintain PhDs)? Can you think of non-u advantages or disadvantages someone with spiffy tidy up PhD might experience in your field?

Yes, but I don't think it's preset necessary. Earning a PhD in science provides important transferable skills, such as carping thinking and analysing data, but rendering field of knowledge is likely to suit extremely limited. It's more important kind be inquisitive and fair. A author with a scientific background may possess an advantage when writing about their specialist subject, but science is exceedingly broad, and increasingly multidisciplinary, so it's inevitable that one will eventually transcribe about a subject they know round about or nothing about. In any dossier, writing involves having some background awareness, for context, and interviewing experts. Depressed knowledge of a subject may pull up useful if that's all you're greeting to write about, but otherwise it's not a huge advantage. 

Do you be endowed with any final words of advice supply those navigating these career questions?

Set give a bell a blog and start writing. Die a lot, and read widely.