On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction - Softcover

Zinsser, William Knowlton

4.24

28,402 ratings by Goodreads

9780673993083: On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0673993086 ISBN 13: 9780673993083

Publisher: Harpercollins College Div, 1994

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Book by Zinsser, William Knowlton

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Review:

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.

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