Audiobook
$0.00
with membership

Mass Market Paperback
$6.45

Audio CD
$46.15

Buy used: $6.45

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Friday, February 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by Tome Dealers

Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Follow the author

Gary Provost

Follow

100 Ways to Improve Your Writing: Proven Professional Techniques for Writing with Style and Power Mass Market Paperback – October 1, 1985

by Gary Provost (Author)

4.5 702 ratings

See all formats and editions

This is the one guide that anyone who writes--whether student, business person, or professional writer--should put on the desk beside pencil, pen, typewriter, or word processor. Filled with professional tips and a wealth of instructive examples, this valuable, easy-to-use handbook can help you solve any and all writing problems.

About the Author

Gary Provost is the author of 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing.

Print length

176 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Berkley
Publication date

October 1, 1985
Dimensions

4.19 x 0.48 x 6.88 inches
ISBN-10

0451627210
ISBN-13

978-0451627216
See all details

William Zinsser
5,042
Paperback
251 offers from $1.99
Michael DiGiacomo
2,459
Paperback
in Grammar Reference
56 offers from $8.98
Kenneth Roman
913
Paperback
92 offers from $2.02
Chris Lele
6,067
Paperback
81 offers from $2.99
Anne Lamott
8,125
Paperback
231 offers from $1.44
Tom Heehler
1,639
Paperback
46 offers from $6.70

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley; Reissue edition (October 1, 1985)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0451627210
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0451627216
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.03 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 0.48 x 6.88 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #949,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #973 in Words, Language & Grammar Reference
- #1,974 in Writing Skill Reference (Books)
- #3,209 in Fiction Writing Reference (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 702 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

Important information

To report an issue with this product or seller, click here.

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Gary Provost

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Because of his entertaining style, the late Gary Provost was one of the nations leading and most beloved writing instructors. A sought-after speaker, consultant, and celebrity biographer, Provost the writers writer authored thousands of articles and columns, and dozens of books covering most every genre. His highly acclaimed Writers Retreat Workshop, and video and audio courses remain available through writersretreatworkshop.com.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

702 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

See all photos

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

True-Blue Review

Wonderal book!

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2023

Verified Purchase

Great writing resource.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Jack Tan

Great book on writing better!

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2008

Verified Purchase

If you find that my review is poorly written, put the blame on me and not Mr Provost and you could see the reasons why I have read this book.
Mr Provost filled the book with examples that are easy to understand and he had styled the book in a reader friendly and comprehensive format.

You could read the book from page 1 to the end and undergo the systematic built up to better writing or you could easily refer to the relevant sections without feeling lost.

The only shortcoming of this book it that it is concise and could not provide more in depth explanation on some terms like "normative" and "objective" use of noun. However, Mr Provost has done a wonderful job of balancing the need of the general public to be a good writer against that of a linguist.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Lo

Great book for Writer and Journalist

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book really good and I can see a lot of writers/journalists using it to improve there writing. I am more looking for a book that can help me with writing on a everyday basis and professionally. This but gave a some helpful tips that I can use but I think writer and journalist would really love this book more.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Sebastian Jönsson

Really good

Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2022

Verified Purchase

For the budding author, this book is a must. Will return to this from time to time in the future.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

K Smith

Great little resource for writers, authors, bloggers, speakers -- anyone who writes

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2020

Verified Purchase

This is a classic little book with lots of practical tips for improving your writing -- from tips on getting started and overcoming writer's block, to structure and grammar. One of my favorite parts of the book is the section: "Twelve Ways to Avoid Making Your Reader Hate You." Recommended for anyone who wants to be a better writer.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

ARHuelsenbeck

If you’re a beginner and you’re looking for a book that covers the basics, this is a good choice.

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2019

Verified Purchase

I bought this book because writing instructor extraordinaire Margie Lawson recommended it.
My edition was printed in 1985, and the book examples used in 100 Ways are old. (Fortunately, so am I, and I remember the buzz those books earned at the time.) It was also in the baby days of personal computers, when very few writers owned one, and most everyone wrote their rough drafts by hand and their better drafts on a typewriter.
Gary Provost wrote articles for Writers Digest and 22 books, fiction and nonfiction. He passed away in 1995.
100 Ways is divided into nine chapters which are further divided into 5 to 12 short topics. For example, Chapter 7, “11 Ways to Make People Like What You Write,” is broken into these topics:
1. Make Yourself Likeable
2. Write About People
3. Show Your Opinion
4. Obey Your Own Rules
5. Use Anecdotes
6. Use Examples
7. Name Your Sources
8. Provide Useful Information
9. Use Quotations
10. Use Quotes
11. Create a Strong Title
The entire book is 158 pages long.
Although most of the information in this book is pretty basic, veterans could benefit from reviewing some of the material, such as common errors to avoid, cutting unnecessary words, and a self-editing checklist. Or how about this advice:
“How do you know when you have finished? Look at the last sentence and ask yourself, ‘What does the reader lose if you cross it out?’ If the answer is ‘nothing’ or ‘I don’t know,’ then cross it out. Do the same thing with the next to last sentence, and so forth. When you get to the sentence you must have, read it out loud. Is it a good closing sentence? Does it sound final? Is it pleasant to the ear? Does it leave the reader in the mood you intended? If so, you are done. If not, rewrite it so that it does. Then stop writing.”
If you’re a beginning writer and you’re looking for a book that covers the basics, this is a good choice. I have over 40 books on writing, and 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing does not spark joy for me. I would give it to you, but my dog chewed the corners. (He liked it just fine.)

36 people found this helpful

Helpful

Mamusha

Easy to Read

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2021

Verified Purchase

I felt like Gary Provost was telling me jn a friendly way encouraging advice on how to improve my writings. Great book, especially for people for whom English is their second language!

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Brian G Forbes

Great book, easy read, great content

Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2013

Verified Purchase

This is a fantastic little book, and it is full of smart and easy ideas for becoming a better writer. None of these tasks involve anything more than a little time reading and regular daily activities in order to strengthen and improve a persons writing. There are no intense drills, and nothing that feels like homework. This book can make a person a better writer from the first few pages, and I highly recommend it to anyone who writes.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Mi

Excelente!

Reviewed in Brazil on March 27, 2023

Verified Purchase

The media could not be loaded.

Recomendo demais pra quem precisa melhorar a escrita! Parece muito o livro com o livro “comunicação em prosa moderna”, que ensina como melhorar sua escrita em português, algumas dicas sao até iguais. A diferença é que Gary Provost é direto! Uma de suas dicas é justamente esse ponto. Em um ou dois dias vc consegue ler e internalizar varias dicas precípuas para sua escrita melhorar.
Comprei na promoção por menos de 20 reais e foi uma surpresa extremamente agradável.

2 people found this helpful

Translate review to English

Adedapo

Great book

Reviewed in Canada on March 9, 2023

Verified Purchase

No matter the influence of Ai and it’s benefits. Learning the rules of copywriting is always a plus

One person found this helpful

jaime Yahir

Gran ayuda

Reviewed in Mexico on February 26, 2023

Verified Purchase

El libro viene bastante completo y el tamaño ayuda a transportarlo con facilidad, por lo que puedes leerlo en cualquier lugar sin que ocupe mucho espacio en tu bolso o mochila.
Lo único que si no me agrada mucho es que las páginas sean grises, en lo personal siento que las letras se pierden en el fondo, pero aún así no es tan grave, solo es que te acostumbres

Translate review to English

Federico

Efficace

Reviewed in Italy on October 21, 2022

Verified Purchase

Non pensavo ma l’ho trovato veramente un ottimo strumento

Translate review to English

Eduardo Almeida Medina

FUNDAMENTAL

Reviewed in Spain on July 18, 2017

Verified Purchase

Beside im spanish and my english skills are not so developed, i really found this book fundamental for every copywriter. It may look old, actually when i received it i thought: what the..., but the good thing about writting is that its timeless. The advices are amazingly helpful, super concrete, with examples and do's and don't that helps you to see what Provost want to say. Good purchase.

One person found this helpful

See more reviews

Image Unavailable

Follow the author

100 Ways to Improve Your Writing: Proven Professional Techniques for Writing with Style and Power Mass Market Paperback – October 1, 1985

About the Author

Similar items that may ship from close to you

Product details

Videos

Important information

About the author

Gary Provost

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries