Sidelines
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Descent into violins
The best essayists use seemingly trivial, original examples to illustrate recurring themes of personal importance.
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Converting my notes into a chapter
How I used my note-making system to research and write a chapter of my Darwin book.
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Sibling rivalry
In nature, individuals aren’t just in competition with the elements or other species.
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The slippery slope of minor embellishments
Artistic licence in factual writing doesn’t include making stuff up.
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The gaping void between fact and fiction
Fact and fiction are discrete things, not parts of a continuum.
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Nature writing’s ill-defined, thriving ecosystem
There is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to whatever ‘nature writing’ is supposed to be these days. It might not all be to my personal taste, but such diversity has to be a good thing.
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Fools and dilettantes
How the problems I’ve been encountering lately are a sign (I hope) that my book is starting to come together.
