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Douglas J. Emlen

Goodreads Author

Website

http://dbs.umt.edu/emlenlab/Doug_Emlen_personal...

Genre

Science, Young Adult, Nonfiction

Member Since

August 2014

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Douglas J. Emlen is a professor at the University of Montana. He is the recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering from the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House, multiple research awards from the National Science Foundation, including their five-year CAREER award, and a Young Investigator Prize and the E. O. Wilson Naturalist Award from the American Society of Naturalists. His research has been featured in outlets including the New York Times and National Public Radio’s Fresh Air.

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Douglas J. Emlen I wish I had a better answer here.....writer's block drives me crazy! As a full-time scientist/professor, my biggest problem writing is finding free b…moreI wish I had a better answer here.....writer's block drives me crazy! As a full-time scientist/professor, my biggest problem writing is finding free blocks of time. Preparing and giving lectures, meeting with students, reviewing manuscripts and grant proposals, writing technical papers, faculty meetings, committees, grading term papers and exams....my days (and often evenings and weekends) are packed. So when I manage to clear a few quiet hours for writing, it is absolutely sacred. And nothing is more frustrating than squandering hours of this "sacred" time beating your head against the wall stuck, with no words gushing forth. The worst are the days where I not only fail to write new material, but in the process I manage to convince myself that sections I've already written are terrible -- these days I actually LOSE ground!

Yet writer's block happens all the time. For me I change locations. I have searched for places where, for some bizarre reason, the writing works (at least more often than not). Too quiet and I get distracted and restless -- so the stacks of the University library don't work. Too accessible, and I get interrupted all the time - so my office is out, as is my home when my family is around. Some background noise helps. Like a hum of white sound it lets me tune out my surroundings and immerse myself in the material.

I finally found a part of the student center at my university that works well, with students bustling past but not looking for me, so it becomes a background blur. And a coffee shop with hard stone floors that echo with just about the right amount of background hum. They also have fantastic coffee and a really friendly staff. So, for me, the secret is finding the perfect place, and this works most of the time. But when I hit the wall I have to get up and move, and try someplace else.(less)

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What are you currently working on?

Douglas J. Emlen I am now beginning to write a children’s chapter book (aimed at 8 – 10 year olds) about my adventures in the rainforest studying beetles. It will be a…moreI am now beginning to write a children’s chapter book (aimed at 8 – 10 year olds) about my adventures in the rainforest studying beetles. It will be a companion of sorts to Animal Weapons, but will focus on solving the mystery of why only some species have horns. (less)

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Douglas J. Emlen’s books

Average rating: 3.91 · 751 ratings · 125 reviews · 4 distinct works • Similar authors

	Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle by Douglas J. Emlen (Goodreads Author), David J. Tuss (Illustrator) 3.89 avg rating — 665 ratings — published 2014 — 18 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Evolution 2e & Study Guide by Carl Zimmer (Goodreads Author), Douglas J. Emlen (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 125 ratings — published 2012 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Beetle Battles: One Scientist's Journey of Adventure and Discovery 3.91 avg rating — 34 ratings — published 2019 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Evolution: Making Sense of Life by Douglas J. Emlen (Goodreads Author), Carl Zimmer (Goodreads Author) 3.95 avg rating — 22 ratings — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Code Name Hélène

by Ariel Lawhon (Goodreads Author)

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Sep 09, 2020 08:21AM

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