Ideas into Words: Mastering the Craft of Science Writing

by Elise Hancock, Robert Kanigel (Foreword)

"I am so proud to be Elise's student. Read this book and I suspect you will be too."―from the foreword by Robert Kanigel, author of The Man Who Knew Infinity From the latest breakthroughs in medical research and information technologies to new discoveries about the diversity of life on earth, science is becoming both more specialized and more relevant. Consequently, the need for writers who can clarify these breakthroughs and discoveries for the general public has become acute. In Ideas into Words , Elise Hancock, a professional writer and editor with thirty years of experience, provides both novice and seasoned science writers with the practical advice and canny insights they need to take their craft to the next level. Rich with real-life examples and anecdotes, this book covers the essentials of science finding story ideas, learning the science, opening and shaping a piece, polishing drafts, overcoming blocks, and conducting interviews with scientists and other experts who may not be accustomed to making their ideas understandable to lay readers. Hancock's wisdom will prove useful to anyone pursuing nonfiction writing as a career. She devotes an entire chapter to habits and attitudes that writers should cultivate, another to structure, and a third to the art of revision. Some of her advice is surprising (she cautions against slavish use of transitions, for example); all of it is hard-earned, astute, and wittily conveyed. This concise guide is essential reading for every writer attempting to explain the world of science to the rest of us.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Science

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING! such good writing advice for any discipline not just science. I highly HIGHLY recommend this book.

[Tom Aarts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opnieuw gelezen voor m'n stage bij NEMO Kennislink, heel leuk boek voor de beginnend populairwetenschappelijke schrijver vol met handige tips!

[ERT]

Read it for school and it was fine! Nothing further to say

[John Jaksich · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding short read for the intermediate science writer. It stands as an excellent guide and a quick go to reference. Ms. Hancock holds little back--and does not mince words on how to approach interviewing, drafts, and breaking the ever-present search for good topics. I enjoyed the latter half of the book far more than I thought I would---and for that reason it earned a 5 star rating. Ms. Hancock's vita states that she was affiliated with Johns Hopkins University for many years--and her writing style shows a no-nonsense approach. As for a reference library of writing books: Strunk & White, Pinker's book on style, Ms. Hancock's lively reference and The American Heritage English Dictionary!

[Book O Latte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku ini ditulis oleh mantan editor Johns Hopkins Magazine, dengan kata pengantar dari muridnya, penulis buku The Man Who Knew Infinity (tentang matematikawan Srinivasa Ramanujan, terbitan 1991, difilmkan tahun 2015).

Menurut saya yang paling berharga dari buku ini adalah saran Hancock tentang rangkaian mindset yang perlu di'setel' sebagai penulis sains, antara lain:
1. Jangan terintimidasi oleh materi yang asing. It's okay to be a beginner.
Begitu kita bilang pada diri sendiri "Ah, nggak ngerti", hal itu jadi kenyataan. Jadi jangan mikir seperti itu. Lebih baik katakan pada diri sendiri "Saya pemula". Dengan begitu kita menyiapkan diri untuk belajar.
2. Stay in learning mode & cultivate curiosity. Gunakan kesempatan (menulis) ini untuk belajar dan terus mencari tahu.
3. Everything is interesting. Jika kita menganggap suatu topik itu membosankan, itu karena kita nggak cukup tahu tentang topik tsb.
4. The reader is smart. Jangan merendahkan pembaca dengan 'dumbing down' tulisan kita.

-dydy-

[Sasha Chihak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as part of a writing class I was taking. It was useful for discussing strategies used in science writing. Not really something I'd choose to read for fun.

[Raphael Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten stars! A thousand stars! So good!

[Megha Kalra · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute pleasure to read. Plus I got so many precious suggestions and advice.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hancock's writing here is crisp, inspiring, and deft. It reminds me of Zinsser's On Writing Well in aggressive, tough-love style and also in its old-school, E.B. White praising roots.

It's very clear that Hancock knows what she's doing, but at times you worry whether you can only orbit the science writing greats who regularly appear in the New Yorker's Annals of Medicine or Hancock's prestigious Johns Hopkins magazine. The book is organized by themed chapters, but also by easily digestible (or highly annoying, depending on the type of reader you are) bulleted points.

By the end, I can't decide whether I'd be more terrified or relieved to find myself sitting before Hancock in her editor's office. But I know that I would learn a great deal and that I would enjoy the entertaining display of such a skillful, experienced wordsmith (and thinker) at work.

[Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

pg 10 "Practice seperating phenomenon from conclusions, in particular about people...In your personal life, it prevents a lot of unnecessary pain, because it helps you spot the times when your conclusion comes from your history, not the here and now."

pg 11 "Everything is interesting...If a subject bores you, it's because you don't know enough or you've adopted the wrong vantage point"

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really solid tips about science writing.