Neil deGrasse Tyson wants us all to keep dreaming. In the first episode of his “We Stopped Dreaming” series, he elucidates the reasons why. And, in the off chance that this doesn’t convince you, perhaps his “Most Astounding Fact” will.
Space is Awesome
The Most Accurate Science Fiction
While the best science fiction is a matter of taste, six scientists weigh in on the most accurate science fiction in their diverse fields, for io9.
Taking Risks on the Page
Over at Catapult, Idra Novey writes on how her experience as a translator changed how she approaches her own work as a novelist. Pair with Magdalena Edwards’s Millions essay on reading Clarice Lispector in English.
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Appearing Elsewhere
A few days ago, Amazon announced the launch of their new "@Author" feature for the Kindle, whereby readers can click on an e-book passage and ask the author questions about it directly. I've broken out in a cold poststructuralist sweat about this over on The New Yorker's Book Bench blog.
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The Lives of Movie Characters
“Writing about film applies pressure to how ekphrastic writing can be possible, let alone evocative–and further, highlights questions that pertain to all kinds of writing, from honing poetic imagery to composing entire fictive worlds: how can writing engage or transform the fidelity of its subject(s)? How do you write about something so simultaneously ephemeral and fabricated, and yet intuitively, enduringly ‘real’?” For Ploughshares, Veronica Fitzpatrick on writing about film. Pair with this Millions piece on literary magazines in film and TV.
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Revenge of the Pigeons?
Will 2012 be the year they finally rise up against us? A study finds pigeons can do higher math.
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Thank You for Your Submission
If you’re a writer planning to submit a novel manuscript to a literary agency, you might want to read these guidelines and recommendations, over at Electric Literature. Pair with Edan Lepucki’s Millions interview with her agent about publishing a first book.
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