Madeline Shaw is a journalist in NYU's Science, Health & Environmental Reporting Program and the editor in chief of Scienceline. She covers stories involving conservation issues and climate solutions. 

Q: In January, you published a piece with The New York Times about the pricey trade in pet isopods. Can you tell us how this idea came about?  

A: It was a chance discovery! I had signed up for email alerts from scientific journals covering conservation issues earlier in the semester, and I'd occasionally peruse the emails looking for story ideas. Most of the time I came up empty handed, but in October I saw a position paper with an intriguing title about pet isopods and the need for regulation. I clicked on it, mostly to learn what the heck a pet isopod was. The paper included a ton of fascinating details, but as soon as I saw the pictures I knew it was a great story.

Q: How did the pitching process go for you?

A: It was uncharacteristically smooth. I wrote it after I'd already completed the story for class, so I already had all the information I needed. One of my professors suggested I pitch it to an editor covering conservation and biodiversity at the Times, so I sent the pitch off on a Thursday afternoon. The next day the editor emailed me back expressing interest, but looking for a slightly different angle. I quickly sent him a revised pitch and a few days later he agreed to take the story. 
 
Q: What did you learn during the editing process? 

A: This was my first story published outside of NYU, so I knew essentially nothing about what the freelance editing process would like. It was helpful to see the different perspectives each reviewer/editor brought as the draft evolved. There weren't a lot of instructions though, so I'm glad I had professors to lean on when I had basic questions, especially given the stakes!

Q: What did you learn during the pitching and publishing process that you think would be helpful to other journalists looking to get their work published? 

A: It really underlines how valuable it is to have a story that an editor hasn't seen before. It can be tough to grab their attention when you're competing with so many experienced and talented journalists. I had a small portfolio and limited journalism experience before coming to NYU, so the likelihood of being published in The New York Times right away seemed infinitesimal. But on the other hand, I knew this was a story that 1) hadn't been covered, 2) involved cute and colorful animals and 3) had an important conservation message. That ended up being exactly what the editor was looking for. I think it's just important to find a unique, compelling story that you believe in and aim high.