Writers INC: A Student Handbook for Writing & Learning [Paperback]

Patrick Sebranek (Author), Verne Meyer (Author), Dave Kemper (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It's meant for high schoolers, but adults who haven't inhaled chalk dust for years might appreciate it even more. The process of organizing, researching and writing a paper is laid is out in easy-to-understand normal-speak. The chapters on grammar and usage are very user-friendly, and lots of extras (suffixes, parliamentary procedure, periodic table, metric system, the U.S. Constitution, world maps, etc.) make this an extraordinarily popular and useful household item. If you're feeling generous, you might even let the kid take it to school on occasion.

Product Details

• Paperback: 853 pages
• Publisher: Great Source Education Group Inc (August 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0669388130
• ISBN-13: 978-0669388138
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,254,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Writing Source that You Haven't Heard About, June 11, 2003

By 

"jjw222" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writers Inc: A Student Handbook for Writing and Learning (Write Source 2000 Revision) (Paperback)

This is the writing resource that I wish I had been introduced to back in high school when writing essays and term papers. It is accessible for high school students but can also provide guidance for those out of school.

With writing becoming increasingly important in high school (the SAT is about to add a writing section), this is an invaluable pedagogical resource for the teacher and student. High school and college student with superior writing skills will always differentiate themselves from their peers. By using this book, the student will improve organization and construction of essays and term papers as well as improve analytical reasoning and thinking. There is even a section of appropriate language for business writing. Teachers will find the most improvement in student's revising skills, a step that most high school students skip over in the writing process.

It is more useful as a writing resource than as an authority on grammar. For a grammar resource, I recommend Dianne Hacker's Writer's Reference. Another useful writing resource for those out of school is Peter Elbow's Writing Without Teachers. Elbow's book is quoted several times in Writer's Inc. for providing suggestions for lifelong improvement of writing out of school. Another perennial favorite is E.B. White's Elements of Style.

More parents, students, and educators should be made aware of this book. It is a good investment.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for High School and beyond!, October 8, 2002

By 

NoName "engrx2" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writers Inc: A Student Handbook for Writing and Learning (Write Source 2000 Revision) (Paperback)

We are using Writers Inc in homeschooling our 10 and 12 year olds. It provides clear, concise explanations of grammar that even 4th graders can understand. We've used it for teaching sentence construction, grammar, speech, and book report and research paper writing. It has sections on just about everything relating to communication at all levels. There are even many unexpected resources including conversion charts, maps, a calendar and much more. An extremely valuable resource!

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still using Writer's Inc. after 9 years!, February 11, 2000

By 

A. O'Leary (Northfield, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writers Inc: A Student Handbook for Writing & Learning (Library Binding)

This book served me well through high school, college, my first job as a newspaper reporter, and also as a content writer for an Internet integrator. Highly recommended. I believe all schools should do what my high school did with this book: but a copy for every student to keep forever. It is an invaluable resource, with the right approach, and a little attitude.

Fun, witty, smart, direct, and simply the best reference book I've ever owned, Writer's Inc. is exceptional not only for its utility, but also its content. Writer's Inc. is not only a grammar guide and reference, but addresses the THINKING and LEARNING processes in a way that most schools fail to do directly.

Read this book. Keep it on your shelf all through school, college, a career, and the rest of your life after this and you will have a richer mind for it.