Freelance writer Laura Laing began her career as a math teacher and now uses her mathematical background to write curriculum materials and inform her human interest stories. Laing also blogs as the Math Expert for MSN’s Mom’s Homeroom and penned a book called Math for Grownups, which uses real-world scenarios like calculating a restaurant tip or converting calories into cardio time to demonstrate math concepts that many adults have forgotten. Earlier this year, she moderated an ASJA conference panel called One Plus One Equals Cash: Math for Writers, where panelists discussed the importance of estimating an hourly rate and understanding statistics used in reporting.
Ebyline chatted with Laing about why journalists need to understand basic math and how numbers figure into storytelling.
How did you transition from math teacher to freelance writer?
Whew, this is a big question! The transition took place over a decade or so. I left teaching in 1994 and had no clue what to do next. Eventually, I found myself in public relations and marketing, working first for an AIDS service organization and then for an equity theatre. I discovered that I loved working with the media, writing press releases, and pitching stories. Both of those jobs required a great deal of writing. I honed my skills because I had to.
I left the theatre for a position with the Virginian-Pilot’s websites (PilotOnline and HamptonRoads.com). After a very short stint in ad sales, I moved over to content, writing for and managing a few of the sites’ section, and developing a section devoted to schools. And once again, I honed my writing skills. I learned to write short and quickly in a very noisy room. I also applied my math skills, developing databases that were output on the site. Everything was coming together — writing, math and education.
After my daughter was born, we needed a little extra cash, so I decided to start freelance writing. I met a friend and editor for coffee in the paper’s cafeteria, where she gave me a list of local editors who hired freelance writers. I landed three long-term gigs with those folks. Not long after, I started pitching national publications and within a year or so, I had some great clips, including Parents. My math skills came in handy with the business side of things. I knew instinctively that this wasn’t a hobby and that in order to make money, I would need to be strategic.
In 2004, I left the websites and took a position as a reporter for a local business weekly. This move was also strategic. I wanted to improve my reporting skills, learn to work faster and become a better writer. When my family and I decided to move out of the state a year later, I felt ready to take the leap to freelance writing. I’ve been self-employed ever since.
Why do you think many writers shy away from math?
Like most people, writers tend to believe in a false dichotomy: you’re either good at math or good at writing. In addition, people confuse math with arithmetic. (Arithmetic includes computations, like addition, while math encompasses the more complex thinking behind the question. In other words, arithmetic is using a formula, while math is knowing that the formula is necessary.)
The connection between writing and math is in fact quite strong. In Ancient Greece, mathematics and philosophy were closely linked. Language and numbers were connected in big ways. We’ve moved away from that approach, and I think that’s a shame. Mathematics is actually very language oriented, but sadly our educational system often insists in reinforcing the false idea that language and math are mutually exclusive. But in fact, none of us would be able to write well without some very critical mathematical concepts, like the proof.
I see writing a story as a non-mathematical proof. My job as a writer is to find the truth and compel my readers to believe it. I accomplish this by backing up whatever my sources say with proof — or by countering a source with proof of the opposite. If I didn’t do that, I would be writing an opinion piece, right? And even in my opinion pieces, I use facts and details to support my opinion.
I would bet my last dollar that most good writers agree with that process, but they’re not aware they’re using a mathematical approach. It’s not that writers are inherently bad at math. It’s that they think they’re bad at math.
What are the most common math mistakes you see journalists making?
Unfortunately, I see mistakes in lots of areas: from calculating percents to misunderstanding probability. The best thing any writer can do for themselves is check their work. You wouldn’t turn in a story without doing a spell check or tweaking the lede or double checking the quotes, right? Same goes for the math.
We write in an amazing time. In less than 10 seconds, you can google your way to a quick refresher on proportions or a clear explanation of how probability applies to the lottery. Even if you think that your math is right, check it — especially if you’ve ever uttered the words, “I’m no good at math.” If you don’t remember how to do something (or never learned it the first time), check it out.
Math mistakes happen to all of us — even those of us with degrees in math! The biggest favor you can do for yourself is check your work.
Would you give us an example of how you used math to inspire or enhance an article?
My favorite stories are complex, introducing readers to unfamiliar situations and people. These often start out as questions: Why haven’t I heard about meth lab busts in Maryland? (Because the state doesn’t have a meth problem.) What prompted the employees of a local AIDS service organization to post a sign on the women’s restroom door that read, “FEMALES ONLY”? (Because they were afraid of the transgender clients who were receiving services and care at the center.) What happens to the mentally ill after they are arrested?
One of my favorite stories was one I wrote about Baltimore Mental Health Court. This is a special court especially for mentally ill defendants, who agree to plead guilty in return for a triage of care that is designed to help these folks get treatment so that they don’t reoffend. As you can imagine, these programs (which are across the U.S.) are expensive. So why were they necessary? I needed some statistics to illustrate this to my readers. After my lede came this graf:
“According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 16 percent of the prison or jail population in this country has a serious mental illness, three times the rate in the general population. National Health Care for the Homeless found in 2002 that people with mental illness are 64 percent more likely to be arrested, and the Brazelton Center for Mental Health Law reported in 2000 that 49 percent of mentally ill federal inmates had three or more prior arrests. Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene says that the state reflects the national trends.”
I didn’t do that research myself, but I did need to verify it. I looked at the background of those studies: Could I trust them? What was the sample size? How were these numbers reported to the researchers? See, that’s the math — not arithmetic. As we all know, you can find a statistic to support any point you want to make. Our job as writers is to be sure that we’re reporting the best numbers.
According to Mr. Media Training, Brad Phillips, about 50 percent of our readers respond to stories, while the other 50 percent respond to data or statistics. In other words, we have to give our readers both the heartwarming anecdote and the hard numbers.
In your ASJA panel, you mentioned there’s a demand for educational writing but it can tough to break into that market. Any tips?
With Common Core (the new federal educational standards) coming down the pike, schools and curriculum development companies are gearing up for rewrites. At the same time, for-profit colleges are growing by leaps and bounds. This means a great deal of opportunity for any writers with a background in education. It’s tough to get in this market, because it’s rather hidden and requires special skills.
I must stress that for the most part, these companies are looking for writers who have experience in education. You need to understand pedagogy, not just be able to diagram a sentence or explain the 13 causes of the Civil War. It’s not enough to have a degree in history. You need to show that you understand how to properly construct a lesson, write appropriate test questions and demonstrate an understanding of developmentally appropriate materials. If you have this background — especially if it’s paired with a math or science degree — you can do quite well for yourself.
First off, visit the American Society for Curriculum Development (ASCD) website. The latest conference material should include a list of all of the sponsors and exhibitors — many of whom are curriculum development companies. Several years ago, I used a similar list to send out letters of introduction to the companies that looked like a good match for me. I got several long-term assignments that way.
Secondly — and I don’t usually suggest this — use Craigslist. The curriculum client that I work with most came from a Craigslist ad — but the ad wasn’t for the job I eventually got. A writer friend sent me a notice about a company looking for history writers. Not my field, but I looked up the company and sent a note asking if they needed math writers. Since then about 25 percent of my yearly income has come from this client. I work with them every winter and spring.
Curriculum development is very proprietary. You won’t be able to reuse your work for other clients, and don’t expect one client to recommend you to another company. It’s a very insular world, for the most part, as these companies vie for very limited funds from public schools. But they are using freelance writers, so if you have the right mix of skills and experience, you can tap into this revenue stream.
What assignment are you most proud? Why?
Of course, I’m most proud of my book, Math for Grownups. But if you are asking about a story, I would have to say one that I wrote for Baltimore City Paper, called Raising a Glass: Leon’s Turns 50. This hole-in-the-wall bar is the oldest gay bar in Baltimore. When I first pitched the story, I had no idea of the colorful and sometimes sad stories I would hear — from the beatniks who had no problems partying with gay guys to celebrity visitors like Joan Rivers and Liberace to the devastating toll of AIDS.
As much as I like math, my favorite thing to do is tell a story, to give voice to those who may otherwise be overlooked. Since this story ran, many of the people I interviewed have died. I’m so glad that readers had a chance to hear their tales, and I’m very proud to have been the writer who put them into words.
