Folks with an interest in space, engineering, US geopolitics as they relate to space missions, and next steps for exploration...
Are really going to have a treat coming for them when @WordsmithFL finishes his current WIP. ๐
We have *such* talent here on CoSo. Still, the attention to detail necessary for such a project is in fine hands with this storyteller, who knows how to write with precision and scope.
(So please rap his knuckles when you see him here, & tell him to finish his MS already!)
Stephen, I know you have tinkering to do with the first chapter (fiddly technical matters to further shore up the visuals / chronology, mostly: nothing major), but as for the large-scale stuff? The ability to set a scene, bring all the moving parts to bear on a story without getting in the weeds of the wrong details, and encapsulate sweeping cultural movements in actionable concrete terms?
You're *so* very much on point. This is going to be a terrific text once finished.
@MLClark Thank you for all the kind thoughts and support. I look forward to what you think about Chapter 2.
My writing mentor, Sheila Finch, gave me two excellent pieces of advice:
(1) If you're in love with a scene, it should probably come out.
(2) If the scene doesn't advance the plot, it should probably come out.
History books typically don't work that way. But this story is so like a novel -- heroes and villains, complications, etc. -- that I'm treating it like one.
@MLClark Thank you ... Re the record player analogy, I'm always open to suggestions. It's what occurred to me. I always fiddled with verbiage to see what worked and what didn't.
For example ... In 2012, NASA issued a guide on using gender terms. "Manned" became "crewed."
Since half our audience was foreign, many not speaking English, I was worried that "crewed" would sound like "crude," e.g. "crude flight" instead of "crewed flight."
But no one ever said anything, so I went with it.
@MLClark This is the 2012 NASA style guide update. I don't think it's changed since then. Search the page for "Gender-Specific Language."
@WordsmithFL
Honestly, the fact that we put up with "seamen" for as long as we did means we don't get to have objections to whatever weirdness comes with neutrality now. ๐
The challenge with the record-player is that I'm sure Yutes understand the concept, but the value of the analogy lies with we who actually used it, & saw differences in area while listening to our albums. What would have the same heft today? A merry-go-round maybe? But these are fiddly bits. Get the whole written first!