First, a plug

Are you at all interested in writing, and want a challenge that will get you writing quickly, without worrying too much about how good your writing is? If so, try National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. 

You will not be sorry, although after 30 days of very rapid writing, you will be grateful to stop for a few.

How I got started with NaNoWriMo

I started doing NaNo, in 2012. It started with a discussion with my violin teacher. I was struggling with a Mozart piece. My teacher said the incredible music of Mozart happened because very rich people could afford to pay composers and symphony orchestras. I grew interested in how money influenced composers through the ages, and how the women in their lives affected and were affected by these influences. I made a brief foray into research on these topics. However, it seemed like it would be more fun to do what I always wanted to do, write a novel. I wrote my first a novel about just this aspect of the life of a famous composer, Telemann.

I participated in NaNo every year since, although for just one year, I tried to write about similar influences on the wives of famous U.S. Navy admirals. That’s another blog for another time.

What does National Novel Writing Month have to do with science education

This year, I wanted to use my NaNo project to support of my efforts to get young people engaged in science. Therefore, I decided to write a historical fiction novel about the life of a female scientist, or at least, of the women surrounding a famous male scientist. I felt a little sad, as I started my research, to move away from the world of music.

But then I found a reference to a famous female scientist with whom I was already familiar—Caroline Herschel. Not only were both she and her brother, William Herschel, astronomers, they were also musicians. In addition, I already included them in an earlier (not yet published) novel. That novel is about the women in the life of John (Johann Christian) Bach, youngest son of Johann Christian Bach. John Bach’s story is also another blog post. However, it’s possible, based on historical fact, that he met with Caroline and William.

Caroline Herschel, astronomer

Caroline Herschel was the first woman to be paid for her independent work as an astronomer in England. She emigrated from Germany to be with her brother in Bath, England. There, she supported his work as an astronomer, and eventually began and succeeded with her own independent observations and analyses. While William gave up a relatively lackluster career as a composer for his love of the stars, Caroline’s foray into music involved her singing ability. Her place in society, as a woman, made it difficult at the time to pursue that voice career, for which I, at least, am grateful. Far better that she made the astronomical discoveries of comets and nebula for which she is now famous.

I have much research left to do, but Caroline will be the subject of my NaNo novel this year. I am looking forward to both the research and the writing. Join me?