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On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction | 
 enlarge | Author: William Knowlton Zinsser
Publisher: HarperResource
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  151 reviews
Sales Rank: 217640
Media: Paperback
Edition: 6th Ed., Rev. and Updated
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 308
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.3 x 0.8
ISBN: 0062735233
Dewey Decimal Number: 808.042
EAN: 9780062735232
ASIN: 0062735233
Publication Date: April 1998
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Amazon.com
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.
Book Description
Based on a course William Zinsser taught at Yale and his long experience as a writer, editor and teacher, On Writing Well has been praised by journalists, teachers, writers, students, and grateful users since its publication in 1976. Read by Zinsser with warmth, humor, and encouragement, On Writing Well shows how to apply the author's four principles of writing: Clarity; Simplicity; Brevity; and Humanity. He stresses the importance of reading your writing aloud to hear how it sounds and illustrates the difference between good and bad nouns, and good and bad verbs. Specific examples are given throughout the recording that show how writing can be improved.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 146 more reviews...
 Zinsser has Style! July 23, 2008
Wow! On Writing Well The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction is a book that should be in every writers/authors library.
The book is easy to read and there is no clutter. As a reader, I want to get to know the author. William Zinsser definitely has a style I will not soon forget!Diabetes Can Be Sweet . . . Once You Bury It
 One of a hundred must July 14, 2008
When I bought this book I had already read it. When it arrived, I read it again. As in the first round, I thought the same could be said in much less. It is paradoxical, because the book argues against clutter. This could sound as criticism, but it is not. It is just the price you have to pay in order to get a book published. No one would print a book of thirty pages.
This being said, I add that the ideas written in this book are the ones which any scientific or technical writer must bear in mind. They should be the standard in anybody's mind. Diverging from them is possible and sometimes successful, but risky unless the writer is especially trained or gifted for language. In summary: buy this book. It's worth its price.
In case you don't want to, I sum it up for you: straight words, short number of them, short sentences with as few subordinates as possible and revision and rewriting above all... and some justifications and variations on this philosophy. If you need to be convinced or are curious about why, or simply want examples of all kinds, buy the book.
Very insightful. June 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is a good read and offers some solid advice. It doesn't teach writing, but rather offers tips to keep in mind while writing. I feel that some parts of the book are hypocritical, especially when Zinsser uses some tougher vocabulary, but you cannot expect a teacher, writer, and editor to write a book in "see spot run" style, which is what I'm discovering to be the basis of the negative reviews. I don't feel the book offers enough methods to improve writing, especially when it comes to how to reduce clutter. In order to follow the tips and advices Zinsser offers, you have to think and word hard. For $14.95 or less, this book is definitely worth it. This book is easy to understand (even if you're a high school student), with an overall simple, yet unique language and style. The insight it offers is priceless regardless of what profession you are in. Read it, enjoy it, remember it! =]
the definitive writing text June 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Whether you are an amateur or professional writer, this book is a must. If you buy only one book on writing, make it On Writing Well. It is a treasure trove. I learned something on every page, and I have been writing professionally for more than 25 years.
The Must-Have Writer's Tool June 3, 2008
If you're a writer and you don't own this book, you're not doing your craft any justice. In fact, everyone should own this book. Zinsser has put together the ultimate guide to writing in simple-to-understand form.
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