Dr Stephen Heap

Making science readable and inspiring.

My origins are in academia, but I now bridge science with popular culture (for fun) and perform technical writing (for profit).

I had a comfortable job as a post-doctoral researcher, but I felt constrained by the academic institution. So I decided to go freelance and pursue my passion to write.

To clearly describe ideas never conceived,

to weave cold realities of data into story,

and to transcend the mundane.

My own research covers social evolution, communication and information use across scales and species. Recent work focuses on the tension between cooperation and conflict under multi-level selection. You can find more on this website and my profiles on Google Scholar and ResearchGate.

Most of my freelance work is medical writing. Outsourced writing duties are common for medical papers because doctors have little time to write alongside their other duties. So I help them prepare journal manuscripts for publication.

I have also been writing press releases for ecology and evolutionary research. My background in these sciences helps me connect with the essence of the research and write material that is appealing to both the general public and the original authors. You can find original copy for some of these press releases in my blog and communications portfolio.

In my spare time I have been dabbling with blends of science and popular culture. My goal is to mix a scientifically-validated but narratively wonderful sense of reality into traditional story tropes.

Here's an example of what I mean...

Resistance is Not Futile: The Truth Behind Hive-Minds
Collective intelligence is a staple of speculative fiction. But are we too quick to judge enmity from the swarm? Perhaps the true enemy lies within us.

As your writer I can promise a professional attitude, a collaborative spirit and dogged perseverance.

Dedicated to Quality

As your freelance writer, I share your criteria for success and failure. If you win, I win. If you lose, I lose. If I don't meet high standards, I literally go hungry. So I will endeavour to help you write documents that make you proud.

• Conform to style guides and ethical publication practice

• Documents that meet publication demands

It's all About Teamwork

You need a document to satisy someone, and I'm on your side to help deliver. I work as part of your team to solve writing problems and produce documents that bring you value. We are producing something together, so it's important for me to meet your needs with open and honest communication.

• Project brief that defines goals and needs

• Legal contract to protect your interests

  • Confidentiality of Data and Subjects

  • Work produced to deadlines and quality standards

• Communication through e-mail, Skype, Slack, or whatever suits

Adaptive to your Needs

Your needs are unique, and you have your own timeline to consider. As a freelance writer, your needs are my priority and your timeline is my own. I am not burdened by institutional structures or overhead, and I can adapt my scheduling to suit you.

• Quick response times

• Adaptive freelance business structure

• Flexible scheduling

• European timezone

Dependable

It's my job to ensure that you have the documents you need when you need them. I will work to milestones and keep you well informed of my progress. We will both have clear ideas of what can be expected and when.

• Deadlines held by contract

• Open and honest communication to keep you informed

Duty to Scientific Integrity

The integrity of scientific knowledge rests on a code of ethics. It's my duty to ensure that all documents I help produce adhere to these standards.

• Conform to research and publication ethics

• Inform you of any ethical oversights

• Professional writing assistance is acknowledged in accordance with ethical guidelines