Give Three Examples

There’s an old joke about an astronomy exam question that says, “Describe the universe; give three examples”. It’s kind of silly, but in a way it identifies the immensity of the subject of astronomy (and the universe) and how you can’t just teach to the test in science. Particularly astronomy.

I thought of it late last year when Adams Media approached me to write a book about astronomy they’d named Astronomy 101. They wanted it to be an easy, quick-to-read introduction to selected astronomy topics. I pretty much had my choice of topics to write about, although they requested certain ones such as black holes, warp drive, and quasars.

As I set to work gathering topics, it really became obvious pretty quickly that the toughest job in writing this book of 65,000 words was trying to figure out what to leave out!  I compiled a list of things I thought HAD to be included in any book about astronomy. It came to more than 100 topics. At 1,000 words per topic, that would make the book more than 100,000 words. So, I honed the list, regretfully discarded some topics, and figured out ways to bundle some in with other topics I kept.

After that, I “just” had to write it. I know there are people out there who think “oh, anybody can write”, and have no clue about the process. MY process is to start writing until I get the ideas down that I want to cover. Then, I edit, and rewrite, and edit some more, and rewrite. And check the latest science results on a given topic as I do so. Eventually, I finish the “final” draft, and it gets sent off to the editors for copyediting. They mark it up for grammar and punctuation, and occasionally ask for a clarification on something they’ve read.

BUT, before the book went to the publisher, I sent all the chapters to a set of smart, willing background readers. Think of them as my beta testers. They are astronomers, educators, other writers, a producer, and a couple of general scientists. Their job was to pick it apart and find mistakes, just as any beta tester would do. And, they delivered! Through bad weather, winter holidays, illnesses, and what-not, my readers were there for me. They found all kinds of things for me to fix, science updates to make, and rewrite suggestions based on their own specialties.

Why send a work to outside readers? It’s good practice. When I worked at Sky & Telescope, we always had at least two editors for each piece we published. Each extra pair of eyes found things that the original writer missed. It is a truism that writers are too close to their work to be objective about it. Mistakes that should be easily found just get glossed over because writers know what their work is SUPPOSED to say, and they see that instead of what’s really on the page.

Writing about astronomy is fun, but it also means that for a general audience, it should be written in such a way that people from all walks of life can understand what you’re saying. I guess “simplification” is the closest word to what I’m looking for, but it’s more than that. It’s finding a way to engage a reader who may only know a little bit about the Sun, Moon and planets, and not much else. When a writer works at this level, every explanation is examined to make sure it’s really communicating the essence of the science. And, it’s easy for errors of “translation” to creep in. Writers need help to find those.

So, you get readers and editors to go through your stuff. It’s a humbling experience. Sure, they’re encouraging, but you want them to also help you look better. I’d done the same thing for several of my readers in the past. We paid it forward for each other. And, such helpful collaboration pays off. If all goes well, you send off a book that has relative few mistakes or misstatements. Of course, a few things still slip through, but that’s the nature of the beast when you’re on deadline and cranking out tens of thousands of words on a complex subject for general readers. And, that’s who Astronomy 101 is for: general readers who want to get a good feel for topics in astronomy, but don’t have time to take a class or delve into it more rigorously through a textbook.

So, I began the book the first week of December 2012, wrote steadily until January 15, 2013, and turned in the first draft on the 20th. It wasn’t an impossible schedule, although it was darned tough doing it over the holidays. But, between my work and my beta testing group feedback, it got done. Now, six months after I submitted the last approved galley proofs, the book is on the shelves and available as an e-book through various vendors online.

It’s real.

And, it GOT real through hard work on my part and the generosity and talents of my dedicated readers.  Of course, my astronomy teachers throughout time had a role in this book too, whether they know it or not.  They nourished the flame of interest I had in astronomy from an early age. To them, to my beta test group and ultimately to the folks who pick this book up and read it, I owe many thanks!

Go out and enjoy astronomy and explore the universe!