Keys to Great Writing (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "If I could teach only one key to great writing, it would be this: Make every word count..." (more)
Key Phrases: noun stacks, incredibly rich vein, something new principle, The Writing Process, Mark Twain, William Zinsser (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A guide to improving writing skills and creating a distinct writing style discusses organization, flow, structure, word choice, grammar, and drafting and revising.

About the Author

Steven Wilbers has been a writing consultant, synicated columnist and an award-winning author. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 262 pages
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898799325
• ISBN-13: 978-0898799323
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #93,327 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A highly recommended course in one volume, February 16, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

In Keys To Great Writing, Stephen Wilbers covers every aspect of the craft of writing and shows the aspiring author how to develop a writer's "voice" that is unique, precise, and effective with their readership. Wilbers covers every aspect of writing from grammar to revision strategies, offering clear, effective information. Of special value to the novice writer are his: Four Mythos of Great Writing; The Elements of Style Checklist; The Elements of Composition Checklist; The Four-Step Writing Process; Glossary of Grammatical Terms; Proofreading Checklist; Four Common Errors in Word choice; Five Ways To Bring Music to Your Writing; and Fourteen Techniques to Eliminate Wordiness. Keys To Great Writing is a complete and highly recommended course in one volume and a valuable reference guide enabling writers to stand out with a distinctive style and literary presence all their own.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides needed context for grammar and style issues!, March 24, 2004

By	H. Grove "owling6683" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I've always found grammar as boring as watching the snow in our driveway melt. It always went in one ear and out the other. Complex sentences, compound-complex sentences, participial phrases, subordinate... ah, never mind. Who cares? Those are all just dry terms. They don't really mean anything, do they?

Well, yes, they do. They key is context, and Mr. Wilbers provides that in abundance. It isn't the rules he drills into us--it's the effect they have on your writing! What does punctuation do to the rhythm of your words? What does it do for meaning and clarity? How does each punctuation mark influence the way a reader reads your work?

He does the same for sentence types. How can you use your choice of sentence structure to emphasize your point? Which sort of phrase allows you to end a sentence with style and flourish? Which sentence type can create a feeling of expectancy or an engaging opening? In other words, how can you use the full range of techniques at your disposal to make your point clearly, succinctly, and persuasively?

Not sure how to write a persuasive essay? Don't know how to alter your essay for a sympathetic or unsympathetic audience? You'll find very practical instructions in here for nearly every aspect of the writing process, from planning to content to revision.

This book is aimed primarily at non-fiction writers; many of its tips apply to everything from persuasive essays to business writing. However, Wilbers does explain his tips in relation to narrative writing as well. No matter the type of writing you do, this book will improve your style.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on grammatical study I have read to date, July 13, 2005

By	Schtinky "Schtinky" (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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Sharpen your pencil and get out your highlighter, this book is a keeper. Written in easy, non-condescending language, Keys To Great Writing is a great interactive study tool for both the novice and the accomplished writer.

Effective for all types of writing, Keys focuses on business writing as well as fictional (or literary) writing. However, with its concentration on structure (in easy to use terms), Keys proves to be as valuable for writing a memo to your boss as it is for writing the great American novel.

Relying heavily on Strunk and White's 'The Elements Of Style' and Williams' 'Style: Ten Lessons In Clarity', Wilbers captures a cozier approach to the structure and disciplines of writing well. He also manages to cover an amazing array of rules, styles, and techniques, quite well, in a brief 250 pages. The book also includes a Glossary of Grammatical Terms, a checklist for Keys To Great Writing, a checklist for Elements of Composition, a checklist for Proofreading, Recommended Resources, and an Index.

Some of the book, especially chapter five on Personality, works well for public speaking as well as writing techniques. So his points made in Keys To Great Writing could very well be called Keys To Great Communication. One of the things I found most helpful was Wilber's heavy use of example, showing both the correct and incorrect structures. Noun modifiers, actions verbs, hedges, POV's, setting, scene, subject, style, noun stacks, personality, adjectives, sentence types, ellipses, economy, punctuation, and more...its all here.

The book is divided into three parts, Keys To Great Writing, Elements Of Composition, and Drafting And Revising. Each part is divided into straightforward categories that flow easily from one lesson to the next. I wouldn't mind having Wilber's work on CD as a companion to the book. If you write for business (memos, letters, policy and procedure), or you write for pleasure (poetry, fiction, non-fiction, short stories or novels), Wilber's 'Keys To Great Writing' is an invaluable companion for your desktop. Enjoy!