Author Description
On Writing Well has been praised for its sound advice, its clarity and the warmth of its style. It is a book for everybody who wants to learn how to write or who needs to do some writing to get through the day, as almost everybody does in the age of e-mail and the Internet. Whether you want to write about people or places, science and technology, business, sports, the arts or about yourself in the increasingly popular memoir genre, On Writing Well offers you fundamental priciples as well as the insights of a distinguished writer and teacher. With more than a million copies sole, this volume has stood the test of time and remains a valuable resource for writers and would-be writers.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
How can a writer achieve clarity, simplicity, and humanity in their prose? William K. Zinsser, a veteran journalist and educator, argues that effective writing is a craft rooted in the principles of brevity and honesty. He posits that the primary obstacle to good writing is clutter, and he provides a systematic framework for stripping away unnecessary words to reveal the core message. By focusing on the writer's attitude and the mechanics of sentence structure, Zinsser demonstrates how to maintain a personal voice while adhering to professional standards of clarity.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Principles of nonfiction writing including memoir, science, and business.
- Techniques for editing and refining sentence structure.
- Guidance on maintaining a consistent and authentic authorial voice.
- Strategies for handling various subjects from sports to the arts.
Scope Limits
- Does not cover creative fiction writing or poetry.
- Does not provide advanced grammatical theory or linguistic analysis.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and educators frequently cite this work as a foundational text for anyone seeking to improve their professional or personal writing. Readers often note the accessible, conversational tone of the prose, which makes complex stylistic advice easy to implement in daily practice.
Page Count:
320
Publication Date:
2001-09-01
Publisher:
Collins
ISBN-10:
0060006641
ISBN-13:
9780060006648
Education
Nonfiction
Communication
Research
Writing Guides
Medical Books
Reference
Writing Reference
Writing
Language Arts
Style Guide