SURENDRA VERMA

WRITER, AUTHOR, EDITOR AND JOURNALIST (AND A NATURAL-BORN SCEPTIC)

Since 1970, I have been based in Melbourne, Australia, and before that, in Western Australia, and for many years in Dehradun, a picturesque town (at least, when I lived there) in the foothills of the Himalayas.

68+ CONTINUOUS YEARS OF WRITING AND PUBLISHING ✍️ 13 MAY 1956 TO DATE

My first piece as a freelance writer was published in a national weekly on 13 May 1956 when I had just turned 14.

Since then, I have regularly written about science, technology, the environment, health, and education from high school and college. So far, I have published 1000+ non-technical general-interest articles in major national and international newspapers and magazines (including many pieces in New Scientist, UK, in the 1980s); and 18 science books and two novels. Not even bothering to count the numerous education articles I wrote for The Educational Magazine and Education Victoria (two Education Department of Victoria publications which I also edited from 1982 to 1990) and The Times Educational Supplement (to which I contributed in the 1980s; it has now become TES Magazine and I contributed again in 2022 and 2023), and numerous brochures, booklets and reports for government and corporate clients.

For some 40 years of this period, I worked in demanding full-time jobs (mostly in journalism and publishing; some also involved writing), but that didn’t stop me from moonlighting as a freelance science writer. Science writing has never been my profession; it is only a hobby—a highly satisfying one, I must say.

Although during my long solo journey as a freelance writer, I have used a vast array of tools—pens (fountain and ballpoints), manual typewriters (desktops and portables), electric typewriters (ordinary ones to fancy daisy wheel and golf ball ones), desktop computers (with dot matrix, inkjet and laser printers; and with BSB and emails), bulky laptops and tiny notebooks, iPads and iPhones—the essential tools have always been the same throughout this period: a curious mind and resilience.

Pieces in major Australian newspapers: 1971-2023

1971-1995

My first science piece in an Australian newspaper was published on 14 April 1971 in Melbourne’s major daily tabloid newspaper, The Sun New-Pictorial (popularly known as The Sun). The 1500-word article covered all seven tabloid columns, from top to bottom. Numerous pieces followed until 18 July 1995.

1973-1976

I published a few science feature pieces for The Advertiser, Adelaide’s major broadsheet newspaper, during this period.

1976-1980

I published a few feature pieces and book reviews for The Herald, Melbourne’s evening broadsheet newspaper, during this period.

1983-2023

My first science piece in Melbourne’s major daily broadsheet newspaper, The Age, was published on 26 February 1983. Numerous pieces followed.

I was a regular contributor to The Age’s Future Age section from 1995 to 1998.

From 1995 to 1998, I wrote a regular Science Talk column for The Age’s education section, and then, from 2015 to 2016, I was a regular contributor to the section.

My last piece was published on 23 April 2023 in the Faith column of The Sunday Age.

Science education books: 1981-1991

I have published six science education books in Australia (two of which have been republished in India) and one in India.

Popular science books: 2005-2019

I have published three popular science books in the UK, seven in Australia and one in India. Many of these books have been republished in Australia, the US, the UK and India and translated into 14 languages other than English.

Novels: 2024

I have published two novels: Jasmina’s Justice and Boohoos on the Blackboard.

Some happy happenings: 1987-2007

1987: My article, ‘Cold Fronts’, appeared in an anthology of Australian science writings, If Atoms Could Talk: Search and Serendipity in Australian Science.

1998: My article ‘Frozen spoons and microwaves make heated brew’, originally published in The Age on 10 November 1986, was included in Richard T. White's book Learning Science as an example of a good scientist at work.

2004: $15,000 literature grant by the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts for writing creative nonfiction

2007: Honorary Life Member of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, the association representing Australian journalists—for contribution to journalism in Australia

2007: $25,000 literature grant by the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts for writing creative nonfiction

Click HERE to go to the Wikipedia entry.