Writing Science: Gee-Whiz

How do great science writers engage their readers? How do they get into - and out of - a piece?

Writing Prompt
The article is titled "The Case of the Orange Flake". Start writing it. Five minutes.

Read

• "Writing Well About Science" in Blum, Deborah, Mary Knudson, and Robin Marantz Henig. A Field Guide for Science Writers: The Official Guide of the National Association of Science Writers. Oxford University Press, USA, 2005. pp 26-33

Read at least one from A and at least one from B

A

• "Narrative Writing" in Blum, Deborah, Mary Knudson, and Robin
  Marantz Henig. A Field Guide for Science Writers: The Official Guide of
  the National Association of Science Writers. Oxford University Press,
  USA, 2005. pp 138-144
• "Gee Whiz Science Writing" in Blum, Deborah, Mary Knudson, and Robin
  Marantz Henig. A Field Guide for Science Writers: The Official Guide of
  the National Association of Science Writers. Oxford University Press,
  USA, 2005. pp 126-130
• "The Science Essay" in Blum, Deborah, Mary Knudson, and Robin
  Marantz Henig. A Field Guide for Science Writers: The Official Guide of
  the National Association of Science Writers. Oxford University Press,
  USA, 2005. pp 145-150

B

• "Withering Heights: Bailing out from Space," in Roach, Mary. Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. W. W. Norton & Company, 2010. pp 247-264
• "Of lice and men: An itchy history" Emily Willingham, SciAm blog
• "The Case of the Wide-Eyed Boy," in Edlow, Jonathan A. The Deadly Dinner Party: and Other Medical Detective Stories. Yale University Press, 2009. pp 116-128
• "Radium (Ra) 1928-29," in Blum, Deborah. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York. Penguin (Non-Classics), 2011. pp 176-195
• "The Case of the Red Leg," in Gawande, Atul. Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science. Metropolitan Books, 2002. pp 228-252

Writing assignment
Write your own version of "The Itch" (but not about itching), a 300-400 piece on the science of some common experience, using a strong narrative.