#why is scientific writing so haaard

[cadriona]

Give me a fic idea and I will accidentally turn the 2k projected thing into a fucking monstrosity, but tell me to write a 5k project report and you will see the soul escaping my sinuses by page two

[sawthefaeriequeen]

queenofattolia replied to your post “I think a sign of good worldbuilding is when I’m boggling at a book...”

what's the book????

I’m doing a re-read of the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane. The premise is that the protagonists are called by the Powers that Be (God et. al., basically. It doesn’t say, but you get it) to serve the Art of wizardry. ‘Wizardry’ revolves around slowing down the death of the universe, and especially thwarting the Lone One aka the inventor of Death  and chaos and evil (Satan, basically) at every turn.

Well, the wizardly powers consist of the author’s version of spells weaved in with !science!  The wizards’ whole art of slowing down entropy involves, let’s say, maintaining the balance of a chaotic section of the ocean. Or trying to maintain peace between conflicting alien species from other planets: some your size, some even microbial. Or manipulating earthquakes and other disasters so you can save as much life as possible.

Also, there are a whole lot of excursions into space and other dimensions. The details she pours into her version of wizardry are a lot more science-oriented than, say, Madeleine L’Engle, but just as magical imo.

I’m extra impressed because I’ve have a haaard time researching for something space-themed I’m trying to write. Like, everything I’m finding is so dry and empirical, and yeah, I get why scientific texts have to be like that but my brain can’t help but want it to be told in a more, errr wondrous way? So I forever covet Duane’s ability to make the divide between science and magic seem seamless.