Asimov Press That's All, for Now
Mar 25, 2026
They announce a pause and tease upcoming longform articles and a hardcover book. The founder recounts starting the press and lessons learned running a small publishing operation. Highlights include standout essays that influenced policy and research, a DNA-encoded book project, team growth and readership metrics. There is reflection on the joy of deep reporting and hopes for future leadership.
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Humble Beginnings On The Amsterdam Metro
- Nico McCarty started Asimov Press from a vague idea and posted its announcement from a phone on the Amsterdam metro.
- The project launched months later with Xander Bulwit as co-editor and ~7,000 subscribers carried over from Nico's Kodon blog, first article in Jan 2024.
Learning Publishing By Doing
- Early operations were small: Nico and Xander were the only editors and only full-time staff, learning publishing tasks by trial and error.
- They discovered that hiring, paying writers, fact-checking, and printing require practical on-the-job learning beyond journalism school.
Editorial Taste Is A Learned Skill
- Editors develop a talent for spotting promising writers and shaping drafts to satisfy both scientists and ambitious general readers.
- The team learned to separate strong pitches from vague ones and focus edits on the most compelling parts of a draft.