Jim’s Comments (group member since Feb 03, 2015)

Jim’s comments from the Conversation with Sharman Apt Russell group.

Sharman wrote: "Jim wrote: "Sharman, congratulations on a book that features disciplined science, plain-spoken text, accessible enthusiasm and perspective-maintaining humor (“Once successful, [the male tiger beetl..."

It would be easy to say, given your description, that it's easier than fiction, that you don't face the blank page in quite the same way when you do one of your novels -- and maybe for you, that's true. But (if I may flatter you some more) writing this good has to be a mega-effort even if your feet, your eyes and your curiosity take the place of "Sh!t, what happens now??" I envy you your focus. Great book!

Sharman, congratulations on a book that features disciplined science, plain-spoken text, accessible enthusiasm and perspective-maintaining humor (“Once successful, [the male tiger beetle] may stay attached for hours, like some nightmarish backpack.” Marvelous!)

Question: do you take voluminous notes, then pile them up in front of you and start “writing the book”? Or do you flesh out the abovementioned layers as the days, the excursions, the experiments and the insights progress over time? Or something in between? Hard for a fiction writer, even one working within the strictures of a particular dramatic form, to grasp the challenge of sorting, choosing, ordering so MUCH information and keeping one's head far enough above the fray to see where you're going.