Roy Peter Clark

Author profile

born

in New York City, NY, The United States

January 01, 1948

gender

male

website

http://www.poynter.org/author/rclark/

twitter username

roypeterclark

genre

Nonfiction, Reference, Professional & Technical

About this author

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By many accounts, Roy Peter Clark is America’s writing coach, a teacher devoted to creating a nation of writers. A Google search on his name reveals an astonishing web of influence, not just in the United States, but also around the world. His work has erased many boundaries. A Ph.D. in medieval literature, he is widely considered one of the most influential writing teachers in the rough-and-tumble world of newspaper journalism. With a deep background in traditional media, his work has illuminated, on the Internet, the discussion of writing. He has gained fame by teaching writing to children, and he has nurtured Pulitzer Prize-winning writers such as Thomas French and Diana Sugg. He is a teacher who writes, and a writer who teaches. That co...more By many accounts, Roy Peter Clark is America’s writing coach, a teacher devoted to creating a nation of writers. A Google search on his name reveals an astonishing web of influence, not just in the United States, but also around the world. His work has erased many boundaries. A Ph.D. in medieval literature, he is widely considered one of the most influential writing teachers in the rough-and-tumble world of newspaper journalism. With a deep background in traditional media, his work has illuminated, on the Internet, the discussion of writing. He has gained fame by teaching writing to children, and he has nurtured Pulitzer Prize-winning writers such as Thomas French and Diana Sugg. He is a teacher who writes, and a writer who teaches. That combination gives his most recent book, “Writing Tools,” a special credibility.

More credibility comes from Clark’s long service at The Poynter Institute. Clark has worked full-time at Poynter since 1979 as director of the writing center, dean of the faculty, senior scholar and vice president.

Clark was born in 1948 on the Lower East Side of New York City and raised on Long Island, where he attended Catholic schools. He graduated from Providence College in Rhode Island with a degree in English and earned a Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. In 1977 Clark was hired by the St. Petersburg Times to become one of America’s first writing coaches. He worked with the American Society of Newspaper Editors to improve newspaper writing nationwide. Because of his work with ASNE, Clark was elected as a distinguished service member, a rare honor for a journalist who has never edited a newspaper.

Clark is the author or editor of 14 books on journalism and writing. These include “Free to Write: A Journalist Teaches Young Writers”; “Coaching Writers: Editors and Reporters Working Together Across Media Platforms”; “America’s Best Newspaper Writing”; “The Values and Craft of American Journalism”; “The Changing South of Gene Patterson: Journalism and Civil Rights, 1960-1968″; and, most recently, “Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer.”
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Roy Peter Clark's Books

Average rating: 4.04 · 1,301 ratings · 241 reviews · 25 distinct works · Similar authors

	Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer 4.14 of 5 stars 4.14 avg rating — 816 ratings — published 2006 — 8 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English 3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 avg rating — 369 ratings — published 2010 — 5 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Help! For Writers: 210 Solutions to the Problems Every Writer Faces 3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 avg rating — 82 ratings — published 2011 — 4 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	America's Best Newspaper Writing: A Collection of ASNE Prizewinners by Roy Peter Clark, Christopher Scanlan 4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 avg rating — 12 ratings — published 2005	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Values and Craft of American Journalism: Essays from the Poynter Institute by Roy Peter Clark (Editor), Cole C. Campbell (Editor), Roy Peter Clark 3.67 of 5 stars 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2005 — 2 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Changing South of Gene Patterson: Journalism and Civil Rights, 1960-1968 by Roy Peter Clark (Editor), Raymond Arsenault (Editor) 4.5 of 5 stars 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2002	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	How to Write Short: Word Craft for Fast Times 5.0 of 5 stars 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — expected publication 2013 — 2 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Skriveredskaber 0.0 of 5 stars 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2008	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Best Newspaper Writing, 1985 0.0 of 5 stars 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 1985	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Best Newspaper Writing, 1983 0.0 of 5 stars 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 1983	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Roy Peter Clark

“Everyone should read, we say, but we act as if only those with special talent should write.”
― Roy Peter Clark, Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer

tags: education, reading, writing

2 people liked it

“I may have grown up in the Age of Aquarius, but I'm growing old in the Age of the Acronym.”
― Roy Peter Clark, The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English

2 people liked it

Topics Mentioning This Author

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The Seasonal Read...: 5.10 - About the Author	70	131	Jan 25, 2011 08:40am
The Next Best Boo...: * Your Latest Splurge	9878	13832	May 12, 2013 11:23am

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