Subatomic Writing

"Metaphor is both the food of science and the spice of language. Jamie Zvirzdin links principles of physics with those of grammar and linguistics, adds a pinch of poetics, and serves up a tasty guide to scientific thinking and writing."—Christopher Joyce, Correspondent, Science Desk, NPR

"By equating the fundamental particles of the Standard Model to elements of writing, Zvirzdin has created an engaging book that teaches the mechanics of science writing. Her novel approach, interspersed with fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, is both valuable and refreshing. It is a book all scientists should have on hand."—Steven C. Martin, senior programmer at NASA / Goddard Space Flight Center

"Subatomic Writing—Jamie Zvirzdin's innovative guide to telling stories of science—uses particle physics, demons, science history, family life, and a terrific sense of humor to make its points. The result is smart, effective, and a whole lot of fun."—Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize–winning science writer, director of the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT, and founder of Undark Magazine

"Inspired! Subatomic Writing provides an insightful and helpful new doorway into the foundations of language and writing, all wrapped up in some imaginative fun."—Mignon Fogarty, author of the New York Times bestseller Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

"This is a fantastic writing resource for people like me, people whose first language isn't English. As a guide, the book develops your writing skills, but it also tells a story, which helps you walk through the harder parts of English step by step. Easy to read, informative, and entertaining!"—Jihee Kim, Argonne National Laboratory

"Jamie Zvirzdin's brilliant, engaging writing guide, Subatomic Writing, is ostensibly here to help those who write about science, but her clear explanations, practical lessons, and gift for metaphor will help anyone struggling to assemble words into coherent strands. Who knew that the building blocks of language shared so much with particle physics? A wonderfully unique guide to vibrant writing."—Dinty W. Moore, author of The Mindful Writer and founder of Brevity Magazine

"Forget your preconceptions of what a book about grammar and writing is like. This is a wild ride, entertaining, enlightening, practical, and hands-on. Plus you'll learn some particle physics to boot! Zvirzdin's enthusiasm for clarity, conciseness, and vibrancy in science writing is contagious."—Pierre Sokolsky, Dean Emeritus of the University of Utah College of Science, Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy, and author of Introduction to Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Ray Physics

"Writing, as you may have heard, is not rocket science. In fact, it's particle physics, as Jamie Zvirzdin demonstrates in Subatomic Writing, her insightful new guide for the nerdy-minded scribe."—Dava Sobel, author of Longitude, Galileo's Daughter, and, most recently, The Glass Universe