Note to aspiring writers
May. 24th, 2005 04:13 pmThe fundamental constants of the universe apply to human beings. AAAAAARGH. If the premise of your book involves a change in the electroweak force, human beings will be affected. If they are not, you are dealing with something supernatural or at least extranatural on an extremely large and invasive level, and some sign that you, the author, recognize that might be a good freakin' idea.
We have understood bits of science in chunks that are much more separate than the science itself is. The things that make our brains work and the things that make our motors and generators and gunpowder work are not separable things.
I don't care how Karelian your main character is if you don't understand that "science" cannot be turned off in convenient chunks. My Finnophile self is so very trumped by Marissa Lingen, Girl Physicist, who does not live very far under the surface and has been around much, much longer. ML,GP: coming up on 18 years now. Finnophile: 4 years. You cannot bribe me to look away from your total idiocy with a nice, shiny puukko.
You have been in this field too long not to know the phrases "strong anthropic principle" and "weak anthropic principle" and how they might work in reverse.
I'M TALKING TO YOU, S.M. STIRLING.
We have understood bits of science in chunks that are much more separate than the science itself is. The things that make our brains work and the things that make our motors and generators and gunpowder work are not separable things.
I don't care how Karelian your main character is if you don't understand that "science" cannot be turned off in convenient chunks. My Finnophile self is so very trumped by Marissa Lingen, Girl Physicist, who does not live very far under the surface and has been around much, much longer. ML,GP: coming up on 18 years now. Finnophile: 4 years. You cannot bribe me to look away from your total idiocy with a nice, shiny puukko.
You have been in this field too long not to know the phrases "strong anthropic principle" and "weak anthropic principle" and how they might work in reverse.
I'M TALKING TO YOU, S.M. STIRLING.