... are
still standing, beautified with lofty church-towers, wherein religious
worship is performed according to the Christian institution. It is lastly
inhabited by five different nations, the Britons, ... had finished the building ofthe city, he made choice of
the citizens that were to inhabit it, and prescribed them laws for their
peaceable government. At this time Eli the priest governed in Judea, ... ships, and give their
companions an account of this country and city. Then they advised their
leader to go to the city, and after offering sacrifices, to inquire of the
deity ofthe place, what...
... 76
Index
At the other extreme, you can limit your writing time,
which is my present approach, since I no longer go to an of-
fice. I tell myself I am going to write for one hour and then
stop. I ... writing.
On the conceptual level, try this idea: Writing is like base-
ball in that what matters is the batting average, not the indi-
vidual at-bat. Face it: Not everything you write will be great.
In ... term
papers, 132–133; defined, xii, 46;
fear of, xii; and public service,
4–5, 80
Scientist: maverick, 18–19; rela-
tionship with writer, 6, 45–47
Scientists mentioned in passing:
Julius Axelrod, 43; Steven...
... an
idea of which I was reminded by the word “flob” in the last
item. Did you know what I meant by flob? I am sure you
did. Is the word in the current Random House dictionary?
No, it is not. Is there ... and infectious disease the longer scien-
tists feel obliged to say “unsure.” In fact, they insist on “un-
sure,” even when they are sure (in the ordinary sense), because
their idea of truth is ... speech, practice
editorial pruning. Rewrite as you listen. (I sometimes used
to “type” the leaner version with my toes inside my shoes,
an invisible form of fidgeting.) In this way your face will
look...
... Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hancock, Elise.
Ideas into words: mastering the craft of science writing / Elise Hancock.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-8018-7329-0 — ISBN 0-8018-7330-4
1. Technical writing. I. Title.
T11 ... past
the point where I paid it any mind. So I sat and waited
while she finished.
Finally, she pulled out the page, gathered it together
with one or two others and, still not looking up, passed
them ... It was a short essay for the Johns Hopkins Maga-
zine, which she edited, but this was one ofthe little pieces
she wrote herself.What, she wanted to know, did I think
of it?
Oh, it was fine, I...
... or
cosmology, they wrote not to specialists or other scientists
but to Elise’s “educated curious”; this made it “science writ-
ing,” not “scientific writing” or “technical writing.” Science
writing is so ... shake off the high intimidation quotient of a
dense, jargon-laden article in the Proceedings ofthe National Acad-
emy of Sciences. Elise was a member of this breed; she was an
English major in ... to the wisdom ofthe writerly injunctions
you’ll find in these pages because at times I ve ignored them
all. For example, Do not confuse a topic with a story idea. That’s just
what I did once with...
... write nonfiction, whether “science writing” or any
other kind, is an act of intimacy.You are inviting the
reader into your world—into your mind, no less. As your
close companion, the reader will ... addressing your reader in chapter 4,
on the process of writing.
Do not let scientists intimidate you; you will find them
quite congenial. In my observation, the temperaments are
similar. Both scientists ... with
you, mind to mind and spirit to spirit, is partof what read-
ers seek.
As I write this book, I have been a professional writer for
more than thirty years, and I still have moments when I
think,...
... in the context of specific pieces of
writing, and in the form of coaching, not general principles.
By imitation, you’d also pick up things that I think and do
without thought, from long practice, ... better. If the joy of it outweighs the pain—
you’re a writer.
Many people, including many who make their living as
writers, find it hard to write without some outside galvaniz-
ing force—a deadline, ... put a
little more white—it still looked pink to me—and he
Ideas
into
Words
20
tails. It is astonishing but true that a friend or sibling could
write about the same Thanksgiving and, apart from...
... worth writing and reading—something interesting.
“Interesting” is the sole criterion.
The process is rather like fishing.You put your line where
you think the fish may be, and if something tugs, ... did it for their own use in sharing data, software, and
computer power; the incentive was not economic but intel-
lectual. Likewise, the fundamental genetic discoveries, in-
cluding the basic ... muon
to the universe itself. The goal is not technology but pure
Ideas
into
Words
32
tend to illuminate all proteins—exciting, because proteins
do the work of life.
Among scientists, the code...
... watching, poised to spring into action
when the moment arrives.
Ideas
into
Words
42
any domain. If not a scientist, is this person a protagonist in
some important issue?
The peril ofthe special ... attitude:
The science writer and the scientist are allies, sharing a
commitment to science and the public understanding
thereof—upon which depend future funding and essen-
tial political decisions. ... can
be irresistible—though the reflex cynicism of a more experi-
enced reporter is quite as bad. In either case, the reporter
cannot think straight.
Infatuation passes, but if you have to write in the...
... the conversation off in the right
direction at the right level, and it should be a big fat juicy
one, right over the middle ofthe plate—something the sci-
entist can hit out ofthe ballpark.You ... taken off) will not
hurt. For women, the specifics of “appropriate” vary wildly
over time: do the right thing.
Having taken care of all important trivia, you can now
begin the interview with no ... the
Interview
59
In preparing your questions, stay simple and straightfor-
ward, like Bill Moyers.Your purpose is to elicit the lively
explanations you need for the piece, not to impress the sci-
entist...