On Writing Well, 25th Anniversary: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
by William K. Zinsser
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Book Summary Information
Author: William K. ZinsserEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-09-01
ISBN: 0060006641
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Collins
Book Reviews of On Writing Well, 25th Anniversary: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
Book Review: "A very important book to have for writing"
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm still look over William Zinnser article "On Writing Well," and I believe we can learn a lot by using his book on learning how to write well. For those who have the need to become better writers, this is a very important book to have!
By learning the Bits and Pieces of writing, Zinnser shows us what important in a piece of writing.Just like Natalie Goldberg's "Writing Down the Bones," and Steve Kowit's "In the Palm of Your Hand: The Poet's Portable Workshop", two other important books base on learning to write better, Zinnser show us every important aspect of nonfiction writing to the bone. He brings us into view when he tells us that he not the same person that he was 25 years ago, in which he says that basically we change. The idea that we learn to use new ideas to old ones to make our selves better, is what William Gibson talks about in his article, "God's little toys." What I think is really important, this that Zinsser says that good writing is based on craft no matter what types of technology makes writing easier.
Zinnser lays down the principles towards his writing, the first The Transaction. I like how he talks about a situation that he faced while talking to a class with another speaker who had different thoughts about writing. Zinnser points out that we as learners and writers should know our self, and what drives us to want to move learn.Zinsser talks about a transaction with him self in which he finds that warmth and humanity is the key element to understand good writing. I find that I'm finding inspiration just by reading and writing. Too bad though, it doesn't seem to work for me when it comes to learning about comprehending another language like Spanish that have to take to graduate college. But, I guess, it all has to do with being motivated.
Zinnser wants us as writers to start off with simple ideas, simple sentences, words, adverbs, and verbs. With Nonfiction writing, Zinnser is telling us there is no need for hidden massages and meaning if we're talking about real life. A lot of people tell me when I'm writing a paper or showing them a poem I wrote, that I should use simple words.
Based on the ideas of readers reading a topic for the first time, Zinnser points on to us that the writer should understand that the reader (most of the time) is not an expert. By understanding how we interpret ideas, Zinnser talks about Style. His idea of how we tend to have our own style in writing is based on the idea of how we learned to write. How we learn to write Zinnser says, is based on early school grammar and listening. Zinnser has the rational idea of how we write is based on weight of authority.
The most important part of style Zinnser tells us is that we should have confidence within our selves and our believes.
Writing is learned by imitation. If anyone asked me how I learned to write, I'd say I learned by reading the men and women who were doing the kind of writing I wanted to do and trying to figure out how they did it." (Zinnser, 35).
My professor told me, I have to put my own voice in the paper, I have to tell the reader who I am and what I want to address. Zinnser points out to the idea of all writers, towards addressing the reader on a final last word. He tells us, "Most nonfiction writers have a definitiveness complex. They feel that they are under some obligation-to the subject, to their honor, to the gods of writing-to make their article the last word. It's a commendable impulse, but there is no last word."(Zinnser, 52). My papers seem to be all over the place before I ever start really shaping the up. I believe that I will have to follow Zinnser closer on what he says about writing. "Therefore think small. Decide what corner of your subject you're going to bit off, and be content to cover it well and stop." (Zinnser, 52)
Just by reading what Zinnser has to say about the aspects of writing, tells me, if I listen to what he says, maybe 'I'll' become a better writer. I think we all want to become better writers, and Zinnser gives us fine example of what he's what to show us, by letting us look at other passages from other writers on how they express certain aspects of writing.
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