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On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction Paperback – May 9, 2006

by William Zinsser (Author)

795 customer reviews

in Business Encyclopedias

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On Writing Well has been praised for its sound advice, its clarity and the warmth of its style. It is a book for everybody who wants to learn how to write or who needs to do some writing to get through the day, as almost everybody does in the age of e-mail and the Internet.

Whether you want to write about people or places, science and technology, business, sports, the arts or about yourself in the increasingly popular memoir genre, On Writing Well offers you fundamental priciples as well as the insights of a distinguished writer and teacher. With more than a million copies sold, this volume has stood the test of time and remains a valuable resource for writers and would-be writers.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William Zinsser is a writer, editor and teacher. He began his career on the New York Herald Tribune and has since written regularly for leading magazines. During the 1970s he was master of Branford College at Yale. His 17 books, ranging from baseball to music to American travel, include the influential Writing to Learn and Writing About Your Life. He teaches at the New School in New York.

Series: On Writing Well
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial; Anniversary, Reprint edition (April 5, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060891548
ISBN-13: 978-0060891541
Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.8 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 795 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1 in Books > Reference > Encyclopedias & Subject Guides > Business
- #1 in Books > Reference > Writing, Research & Publishing Guides > Publishing & Books > Authorship
- #2 in Books > Business & Money > Skills > Business Writing

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I became a better writer because of this book.

January 3, 2015

This book is one of the finest books ever written on the subject of nonfiction writing. I've written about 30 books that have sold more than five million copies and I can tell you that those books would never have been written, or written as well, had I not stumbled upon this book some 20 years ago.

From this book I learned the value of brevity. I learned the value of simplicity. And more than anything else, I learned to trust myself and the concept that, in the end, people don't love a book because they are in love with the subject, they love a book (and stick with it regardless of topic) because they like the author. I also learned, very importantly, that your teachers were all wrong when they told you not to write in the first person: Mr. Zinsser convinced me that writing in the first person is the best--often the only--way to write.

If you don't trust yourself and don't trust your ideas, why on Earth are you writing anything?

I also learned from this book that humor and surprise are necessary elements of most nonfiction writing.

Be yourself, talk directly to the reader, be funny, be human, be a tiny bit clever--and you may even surprise yourself with what a good writer you are. Trust yourself, and trust simplicity.

186 people found this helpful187 people found this helpful

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Philip Hughes

My Strategy professor was disappointed to say the least in the writing skills of ...

January 14, 2017

Verified Purchase

I read "On Writing Well" almost ten years ago while getting my MBA. My Strategy professor was disappointed to say the least in the writing skills of our class of "professionals." He bought us all a copy of Zinsser's book...and things improved dramatically from there. I wish a teacher had given me that book when I was in High School. So...I just bought 5 copies, one each for my nephews and nieces. I'm sending "On Writing Well" along with a copy of newcomer Lucas Miller's "Beyond Brilliance: The Blueprint for Learning Anything." Basically it's a two-pack must read for my family's youngest scholars. I wish I had read both of these books when I was their age.

24 people found this helpful25 people found this helpful

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A fellow with a keyboard

In response to the criticism that Zinsser "generalizes egregiously about topics that are enormous"

April 22, 2012

The most damaging (but fair) criticism I've heard of this book came from reviewer D. Fineman who said, "He generalizes egregiously about topics that are enormous. ... He feels free to judge -- for instance scientists -- outside his field."

I agree that Zinsser does these things, but I disagree that it is a problem. In fact, if I have one criticism of the book it is exactly the opposite: that the lessons are even more generalizable and broadly applicable than Zinsser gives them credit for. For instance, if you skip the travel writing chapter, or if you read it thinking that it only applies to travel writing, then you will miss two golden and persuasive arguments that ought to apply to *any* writer:

1) The things that come to the writer easiest -- cliché, excessive detail, syrupy and vague language -- are the things that keep the reader bored/detached/passive.

2) Your main task as a writer is to distill the essence of whatever you're writing about--to find its central idea, to describe its distinctive qualities using precise images. In other words, your main task is to work excruciatingly hard.

The goal of any writer (yes, any) ought to be to transform the reader from a passive observer into an ally. It's excruciatingly hard to do, but once you realize that that's the goal, and once you realize that the parts that come easiest are what's getting in the way of that goal, then you can start writing well.

Zinsser knows these things, and he articulates them beautifully. It is one of the most persuasive books I have read, on any subject. But I hate that the lessons are hidden within topic-specific chapters. Please read with that in mind.

661 people found this helpful662 people found this helpful

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Tony Rogers Jr

Classic !

February 2, 2016

Verified Purchase

I've read many books on writing and publishing. This book is by far the most practical, easy to understand and surprisingly entertaining to read. If I was asked to choose one book that would help someone become a better writer it would be this one.
One thing I'll add is to read it more than once, if you're like me, you'll miss many of the nuggets the first time around. I've been through it three times now and continue to find more gems of wisdom.

18 people found this helpful19 people found this helpful

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