Has it really been over a month since I last worked on my book? That's what the calendar tells me. Between the cat eviscerating the keyboard of my laptop, said laptop being stolen, midterms, and other activities, I haven't done much of anything since March 9. Last night, for example, I intended to sit down a write for a while, but the evening slipped away from me and I didn't write a word. This needs to change.
As I thought about why I haven't written anything in a month as I got dressed this morning, it became clear that I lost my focus. The main thread that I hope will connect the entire work is a recognition of "archetypes and ancestors," binding the history of evolutionary thought with evolution and natural history. Somehow I lost sight of this idea (perhaps because Adrian Desmond beat me to it and I was disappointed that my idea was perhaps not as original as I had hoped), and as a result it became much more difficult to find direction. There are lots of interesting stories and natural phenomena to discuss, but without this central idea it becomes nearly impossible to choose good examples to elucidate the points I wish to convey. Indeed, I'm trying to take Stephen Jay Gould's approach and pick out natural & historical quirks to help illustrate larger points about evolution, but not everything fits. Entelodonts are interesting, and so are sprawling sauropods, but alone they don't cast much light on what I want to address.
Now that I've somewhat recaptured my vision for my writing, I can hopefully get things moving again. In order to do so, though, I'll need to pull some more "inspirational" books off the shelves. I've been reading a lot of technical papers and books lately, and even a few more popular accounts, but most of these books are relatively dry. They're full of information that I'm happy to learn, but they don't fire me up the way that The Demon-Haunted World or Wonderful Life did. Perhaps the best thing for me would be to take a break from dousing my poor brain with data and observations and instead read some books that will remind me why I'm undertaking this project in the first place. At the recommendation of Dr. Vector, I've ordered a copy of The War of Art in the hopes of improving my writing.
Given all the false-starts and struggles I've had as the concept of this book has evolved in my own head, it's not unreasonable to ask why anyone needs another book about evolution. There's presently a glut of books talking about evolution and why it is important, so what can I really hope to achieve? I have no idea if the finished product will be popular at all, but I think it's important to try and express why I find evolution so fascinating. I could easily write up a book full of evidence that evolution is real, but that's not what I would do if I wanted to express my interest when talking to a friend. What I feel is missing from so many books is a more personal approach, one of the most wonderful facts of nature being diluted to relatively bland statements of fact. I think we can do better. I know I am not capable of writing something that is utterly complete and exhaustive, but if nothing else I want to write the book that I have been unable to find.
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...it's not unreasonable to ask why anyone needs another book about evolution. There's presently a glut of books talking about evolution and why it is important, so what can I really hope to achieve?
I think you may answer your own question here:
I've been reading a lot of technical papers and books lately, and even a few more popular accounts, but most of these books are relatively dry. They're full of information that I'm happy to learn, but they don't fire me up the way that The Demon-Haunted World or Wonderful Life did.
The two books you mentioned are written by two of the great popularizers of science. If I understand your purpose correctly, you also want to write a book that fires people's imaginations. I think your instinct to read more "inspirational" books is a good one. Figure out what it is about the works of the great science writers like Carl Sagan and Stephen J. Gould that were so inspiring and captured so many hearts, then try to infuse those things into your book.
Elisabeth; It was actually my intention to answer that question (the question was rhetorical). The "dry" stuff is interesting, but it's stepping back and going "Ok, well why is it interesting?" that I want to try and capture. As an example, a really thick symposium book showed up on my doorstep today. I'm sure it's got lots of interesting information, but the challenge will be integrating some of that information into the bigger picture. Thank you for the encouragement, as always.
Speaking as a fellow writer here...
There will be moments of horrendous doubt. The dreaded "What's it all for, really, when you get right down to it? What's the bloody use?" moments. They happen. In those cases, I've found it very useful indeed to buttonhole a relative stranger and babble at them about your project until the passion comes back. (I offer my humble services in this regard, should you like. You can reach me at dhunterauthor at yahoo dot com.)
There are plenty of people who wrote about the subject you're writing about, with roughly the same theme, same info, etc. That's inevitable. You must remember one fact: THEY ARE NOT YOU. They don't have your experience or perspective or writing style. Remember the readers like me, who like to read multiple books with the same theme or unifying idea, because each and every one of them treats the subject a little differently. I get perspective that way, and it builds my knowledge. You don't have to be completely original. You just have to be you. That's more than good enough.
As for a unifying theme... if you don't quite know what it is now, I'd suggest this: just write. Kick the inner editor in the nads and just go all-out. Write what fascinates you. Revisions are where unifying themes emerge, and it's incredible how often they do it all by themselves, just because the writer got too busy to worry about it.
Finally, I'm going to give you a few good reasons to write this book:
1. I wants it! I needs it!
2. You have one of the greatest names ever. It'll look terrific on the cover.
3. Your writing rocks. If it didn't, your blog wouldn't have readers, now would it?
You can do this, Brian.
One last thing: print this out and tack it to your wall:
"I think it's important to try and express why I find evolution so fascinating. I could easily write up a book full of evidence that evolution is real, but that's not what I would do if I wanted to express my interest when talking to a friend. What I feel is missing from so many books is a more personal approach, one of the most wonderful facts of nature being diluted to relatively bland statements of fact. I think we can do better. I know I am not capable of writing something that is utterly complete and exhaustive, but if nothing else I want to write the book that I have been unable to find."
Never forget it.