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.
Whether you write an occasional professional letter or a daily newspaper column, William Zinsser's On Writing Well should be required reading. Simplicity is Zinsser's mantra: he preaches a stripped-down writing style, strong and clear. He has no patience for excess (most use of adjectives and adverbs, he writes, just adds clutter) or tired phraseology (for instance, he'd like to outlaw all leads involving those "future archaeologists" most often found "stumbl[ing] upon the remains of our civilization"). He recommends that all writers of nonfiction read their work aloud (don't commit something to paper that you wouldn't actually say) and write under the assumption that "the reader knows nothing" (not to be confused with assuming the reader's an idiot). In addition to the chapters on the expected--usage, audience, interviews, leads--Zinsser also focuses on such trouble spots as science and technical writing, business writing, sports, and humor.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Helpful:
This book is to the point and helpful to anyone who wishes to write better.
Good Read:
On Writing Well has some great quotes and tips for writers. The style is conversational and easy to follow, and the author discusses many useful topics such as word clutter, audience, tone, and point of view. Definitely a book worth getting. I can tell the author knows what he's talking about.
Great book:
This book is awesome. Clear cut, clean writing for anyone wanting to be a better writer.
Good Advice on Writing:
On Writing Well is a wonderful book for those who want to improve their writing. William Zinsser holds the view that writing is a craft that one can learn only through constant practice. One of the best things about this book is that Zinsser takes a dry topic and presents it in an entertaining way. The book focuses on improving clarity by eliminating clutter in one's writing. Zinsser lists many of the most-common mistakes in writing; this section made me cringe, but reading it has improved my prose.more info
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