I left academia in 2014 to pursue a career in popular science writing and communication. But the world of research has never been too far away. Shortly after my last academic position, I began freelancing as a developmental editor of scientific manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals for Nature Research Editing Service.
I was responsible for developing manuscripts and providing detailed feedback to authors to help improve the text and data presentation of their manuscript, prior to submission for peer review.
This involved basic editorial skills, such as proofreading and copy-editing of scientific manuscripts in and around my field of expertise. I also advised the authors on suitable journals according to the subject area and manuscript content and style.
Independently during this time, I continued to peer-review manuscripts and grant proposals within my field. And as my experience in popular science communications grew, I was able to apply some of these skills to help scientists improve their own peer-peer written communications.