[...]... this made it science writing, ” not “scientific writing or “technical writing. ” Science writing is so hard to do well because it dares aim intellectually formidable material at just those readers presumed to have little background, education, or interest in it Science writers and editors needn’t start off knowing much science Some of the best of them do, but some of the best of them don’t They must, though,... able to learn science, be eager to wade into its complexities, ask intelligent questions, and shake off the high intimidation quotient of a dense, jargon-laden article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Elise was a member of this breed; she was an English major in college and took only a handful of science courses.Yet in sending her magazine out to joust with science, medicine,... and to the readers of this book, who I hope will carry on the good work with the care and integrity I have valued in all these people This page intentionally left blank Ideas into Words This page intentionally left blank one A Matter of Attitude Only connect —E M Forster, Howards End To write nonfiction, whether science writing or any other kind, is an act of intimacy.You are inviting the reader into... splendid precincts of her mind And in doing so, she’d bestow just the sorts of insights you’ll find in the pages of this book I speak now not of such matters of common sense and good professional practice as double-checking names, though these count, too But rather of a rich sensibility of respect For language For ideas For people For the surprising and the deliciously weird in us all And most of all, respect... 1980s when I and a few other young writers—freelancers, interns, of ce assistants, kids just starting out—worked with Elise at the magazine Most of what I know today about writing, especially writing about science, medicine, and other difficult subjects, I learned then Others did, too Those who came to see the ceaseless flow of red ink as the gift that it was went on to great things They wrote for Time and... be squandering thought on yourself and how well you are writing Instead, you’ll be fixing one mental eye on the reader and the other on the fascinating thing you have found, and you will write by laying out the details that make up your mental picture Basically, you’ll just be talking to the reader, as to any other person in your life, except this talking will be in writing As a process, writing as if... thou and do otherwise Steep in the great and good of any type: fiction, essays, history, science writing, whatever Compared with fiction or poetry, science writing relies far more on content and clarity, far less on lyric intensity That’s a matter of emphasis, however; the components of good writing remain the same in every field It follows that you can learn by doing and reading any kind of writing so long... be that the increased effort elicits a rush of adrenaline? You will find that the same is true of life in general, including the finding and writing of story ideas If you feel bored and your mind flobs around like jelly, pay more attention, not less Incidentally, the whole subject of attention in psychology is a hot one Paying attention appears to organize the brain; it makes possible both learning and... the chore parts of it, like keeping up with current research, will have a certain zing, like panning for gold We learn at all times, not only when we plan to Therefore, hold your junk reading to a minimum—junk meaning anything you do not want your own thinking and writing to echo, because echo it will That is why years of teaching undergraduates can be so deadening to a writer: it steeps the mind in. .. transfer in your social skills Think of the reader” as if you were speaking directly, or perhaps writing a letter, and plunge right in Just write down whatever you would say In that way, you will automatically avoid the big mistakes—starting with the punch line, for example, or droning on and on about how fascinating this stuff is going to be, or explaining all the concepts that the one you are about to . w0 h0" alt="" Ideas into Words This page intentionally left blank Mastering the Craft of Science Writing into words ideas Elise Hancock Foreword by Robert Kanigel THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY. 21218-4363 www.press.jhu.edu Library of Congress Cataloging -in- Publication Data Hancock, Elise. Ideas into words: mastering the craft of science writing / Elise Hancock. p. cm. ISBN 0-8018-7329-0. draw me into the rare and splendid precincts of her mind. And in doing so, she’d bestow just the sorts of insights you’ll find in the pages of this book. I speak now not of such matters of common