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Product Description
Product Description
Every phase of writing is addressed in this authoritative, practical guide. Specific topics include: organizing information, discovering a personal voice, enhancing readability and checking grammar and spelling. Featuring hundreds of exercises and written in a relaxed, entertaining style, this is the perfect aid for the many Americans who wish to improve their communication skills in both their business and personal lives.
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First Sentence
The trouble with writing starts right at the beginning. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The trouble with writing starts right at the beginning. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Most people hated writing essays in school. At work, memoranda continue to be a pain to read . . . and an even bigger pain to write.
For the last four years, I've encouraged my graduate students to begin their studies by writing an essay based on Adler's and Van Doren's How to Read a Book. Then, I ask the same students to read The Classic Guide to Better Writing, summarize its key points in 1,000 words, and then write 2,500 words about what they learned about how to improve the last essay they wrote.
After that experience, each student has become an effective writer . . . even though most were not before reading and applying this book.
I don't know of another resource that is nearly as effective for learning how to be an effective writer of essays.
Although it takes time to develop this foundation skill, you'll save much more time in the long run . . . and be much more effective in whatever you do if you read and apply Dr. Flesch's classic.
Be sure to do the exercises!
For the last four years, I've encouraged my graduate students to begin their studies by writing an essay based on Adler's and Van Doren's How to Read a Book. Then, I ask the same students to read The Classic Guide to Better Writing, summarize its key points in 1,000 words, and then write 2,500 words about what they learned about how to improve the last essay they wrote.
After that experience, each student has become an effective writer . . . even though most were not before reading and applying this book.
I don't know of another resource that is nearly as effective for learning how to be an effective writer of essays.
Although it takes time to develop this foundation skill, you'll save much more time in the long run . . . and be much more effective in whatever you do if you read and apply Dr. Flesch's classic.
Be sure to do the exercises!
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The book is called 'classic' and at least two meanings of the word apply, when describing it.
First of all, it is reasonably comprehensive and will cover the needs of people writing everything from a half page memo to a book - if you limit yourself to one book on writing, this may very well cover all the aspects necessary.
On top, it is classic in the sense that it reflects an earlier time - even this - the 50th anniversary edition was published back in 1998. This means you will get some quaint advice on the benefits of using a word processor instead of writing by hand, as well as how some card sort and early library computer searches operated, with the intention of making it easier to find the research material needed.
In spite of this, you will do yourself and the book a significant disservice if these odd passages persuade you to look elsewhere. The book is really excellent in its coverage, offers some well written, compelingly presented advice, has plenty of examples and a range of exercises in each chapter, which should help you along much more than barely reading the principles ever could.
It covers topics ranging from literature research, to planning, to structure, sequencing, to the use of paragraphs, connectors, correct use of specific wording, etc. As mentioned by the other reviewer, if writing is not something you are comfortable with (and even if you feel you are), the book will make a much more competent writer out of you.
It may not be typical management material, given that it is not always the most concise and that it covers a wide range of needs (far beyond memos, presentation scripts, etc.) so if this is the area of particular interest, something like Barbara Minto's The Pyramid Principle:Logic in Writing and Thinking may hold more of an immediate appeal. Still, it will form a very useful complement to the much narrower focus of Minto's book.
What the book does not do, is form a guide to, or give tips and tricks on what you need to become a professional (fiction) author, which some readers may find implied in its title. It will give you more than enough skills to start on the path, though.
First of all, it is reasonably comprehensive and will cover the needs of people writing everything from a half page memo to a book - if you limit yourself to one book on writing, this may very well cover all the aspects necessary.
On top, it is classic in the sense that it reflects an earlier time - even this - the 50th anniversary edition was published back in 1998. This means you will get some quaint advice on the benefits of using a word processor instead of writing by hand, as well as how some card sort and early library computer searches operated, with the intention of making it easier to find the research material needed.
In spite of this, you will do yourself and the book a significant disservice if these odd passages persuade you to look elsewhere. The book is really excellent in its coverage, offers some well written, compelingly presented advice, has plenty of examples and a range of exercises in each chapter, which should help you along much more than barely reading the principles ever could.
It covers topics ranging from literature research, to planning, to structure, sequencing, to the use of paragraphs, connectors, correct use of specific wording, etc. As mentioned by the other reviewer, if writing is not something you are comfortable with (and even if you feel you are), the book will make a much more competent writer out of you.
It may not be typical management material, given that it is not always the most concise and that it covers a wide range of needs (far beyond memos, presentation scripts, etc.) so if this is the area of particular interest, something like Barbara Minto's The Pyramid Principle:Logic in Writing and Thinking may hold more of an immediate appeal. Still, it will form a very useful complement to the much narrower focus of Minto's book.
What the book does not do, is form a guide to, or give tips and tricks on what you need to become a professional (fiction) author, which some readers may find implied in its title. It will give you more than enough skills to start on the path, though.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
9 reviews
41 of 41 people found the following review helpful
A Transformational Guide That Can Turn You into an Effective Writer
27 Nov 2006
Format:Paperback
Most people hated writing essays in school. At work, memorandums continue to be a pain to read . . . and an even bigger pain to write.
For the last three years, I've encouraged my graduate students to begin their studies by writing an essay based on Adler's and Van Doren's How to Read a Book. Then, I ask the same students to read The Classic Guide to Better Writing, summarize its key points in 1,000 words, and then write 2,500 words about what they learned about how to improve the last essay they wrote.
After that experience, each student has become an effective writer . . . even though most were not before reading and applying this book.
I don't know of another resource that is nearly as effective for learning how to be an effective writer of essays.
Although it takes time to develop this foundation skill, you'll save much more time in the long run . . . and be much more effective in whatever you do if you read and apply Dr. Flesch's classic.
Be sure to do the exercises!
For the last three years, I've encouraged my graduate students to begin their studies by writing an essay based on Adler's and Van Doren's How to Read a Book. Then, I ask the same students to read The Classic Guide to Better Writing, summarize its key points in 1,000 words, and then write 2,500 words about what they learned about how to improve the last essay they wrote.
After that experience, each student has become an effective writer . . . even though most were not before reading and applying this book.
I don't know of another resource that is nearly as effective for learning how to be an effective writer of essays.
Although it takes time to develop this foundation skill, you'll save much more time in the long run . . . and be much more effective in whatever you do if you read and apply Dr. Flesch's classic.
Be sure to do the exercises!
82 of 100 people found the following review helpful
An oldie but a goodie.
9 Mar 2000
Format:Paperback
the most cogent and USEFUL guide to writing crisp, clean sentences. if you're the type of person who learns best by example, this is your bible.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Classic Guide to Better Writing
19 Sep 2008
Format:Paperback
This is a great book as a self learner or for use in the classroom. I use it as a college textbook for beginning English Composition. It provides a great review for things the student has forgotten from high school and gives a good foundation for writing more effective communications. This provides a worthwhile basis for all kinds of writing from casual letters to formal, academic term papers. It teaches about sentence structure, clauses, phrases, prepositions, exact wording, spelling, and much more. I recommend the book highly whether you are on your own or even if you are selecting a book for your students.
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