British readers might have caught wind of a new Guardian/Wellcome Trust Science Writing prize, aimed at finding the “next generation of undiscovered science writing talent.” Since the announcement, the Guardian have been pumping out a series of pieces on tips and tricks for good science writing, penned by established writers.

Alok asked me for something different – he wanted a reflection on the importance of entering and winning competitions. I won the Daily Telegraph’s young science writer prize in 2007, which in many ways was the spiritual predecessor of the new Guardian/Wellcome Trust one. My thoughts on that win, and its importance in my career, is now up at the Grauniad.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good science background must be in want of a PhD. So it was that I found myself re-enacting a bad 80s sitcom in a biochemistry lab, full of exaggerated characters and slapstick mishaps, but with fewer happy resolutions and more radioactive clothes. Somewhere, a laughter track was playing.

During this time, I realised that I wanted to swap pipettes for pens. ...