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53rd out of 345 books
—
525 voters
Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
One of America's most influential writing teachers offers a toolbox from which writers of all kinds can draw practical inspiration.
"Writing is a craft you can learn," says Roy Peter Clark. "You need tools, not rules." His book distills decades of experience into 50 tools that will help any writer become more fluent and effective.
WRITING TOOLS covers everything from the mo...more
"Writing is a craft you can learn," says Roy Peter Clark. "You need tools, not rules." His book distills decades of experience into 50 tools that will help any writer become more fluent and effective.
WRITING TOOLS covers everything from the mo...more
Hardcover, 260 pages
Published
September 1st 2006
by Little, Brown and Company
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I am an international student who had never been surrounded by native English speakers until the age of 22. I ended up studying humanities in an American phd program. Imagine how stressful writing is for someone like me. I have been struggling to acquire the instinct and intuition you guys have when you judge "good" and "bad" writings. This book is helping me a lot understand, step by step, what constitutes good English sentences, paragraphs and chapters. The examples are brilliant. They not onl...more
In general it's a good book, which provides writers with effective and useful tools. However, the most thing I disliked is the excess of quoting and exampling, that really irked me in some parts, and spoiled the whole meaning.
Lets try to sum up the essential topics and themes:
1- Begin sentences with subjects and verbs ( make meaning early, then let weaker elements branch to the right)
2-Order words for emphasis (place strong words at the beginning and at the end)
3-Be passive-aggressive (use pass...more
What is the book about?
Cool. How should I use these tools?
What's the best tool of them all?
So these tools will make me sound smarter?
"Think of writing as carpentry, and consider this book your toolbox. You can borrow a writing tool at any time"
Cool. How should I use these tools?
"Do not try to apply these tools all at once"
What's the best tool of them all?
"The most powerful tool on your workbench is oral reading"
So these tools will make me sound smarter?
"The writer cannot make something clear until the difficult subject is clear in the writer's head. Then, and only then, does she reach into the writer'...more
It's a nice mix of nuts-and-bolts and practical writing techniques, all distilled into neat, 3-5 page chapters, each devoted to a "tool." In each short chapter, Clark provides excerpts from stories, novels, essays, newspaper and magazine articles as examples. Then he ends each chapter with three or four "workshop" ideas to practice that writing tool. Some tools will be familiar to anyone who reads about writing or teaches it (e.g. "Activate your verbs," "Prefer the simple over the technical," an...more
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Clark's book is about more about style than content or correctness. And the 50 strategies are so practical, readable, entertaining, and genuinely helpful that writing with “style” becomes just as substantial and reachable a goal as writing good content with correctness.
That's fantastic. The book gets the fifth star, though, for its outstanding structure/organization. Clark has built this book like a fractal image: Its pattern and value is the same from far as from near, and it’ll make you a bett...more
That's fantastic. The book gets the fifth star, though, for its outstanding structure/organization. Clark has built this book like a fractal image: Its pattern and value is the same from far as from near, and it’ll make you a bett...more
If you are a writer or even a want to be writer, chances are you still can learn something new. If you’re like me, you can learn a lot of new things to help your writing. One great way is to read what other successful writers have learned over the years. I’ve gotten several books over the last few months and Roy Peter Clarks’ Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer is a resource that might just help you.
This is not a book that holds your hand and walks you through steps. Each cha...more
This is not a book that holds your hand and walks you through steps. Each cha...more
An outstanding book for anyone who writes or wants to be a writer. I attended two seminars put on by the author at the Tucson Festival of Books, and new immediately I had to have this book.
It's broken down into four parts...Nuts and Bolts; Special Effects; Blueprints; and Useful Habits. From the 4 subtitles, you can see it goes beyond just good grammar and proper usage. It is designed to not only help your writing, but improve your writing habits and give you new ways to think about your writing...more
It's broken down into four parts...Nuts and Bolts; Special Effects; Blueprints; and Useful Habits. From the 4 subtitles, you can see it goes beyond just good grammar and proper usage. It is designed to not only help your writing, but improve your writing habits and give you new ways to think about your writing...more
The book does what its title suggests, meticulously presents all the tactics that are often used by professional and savvy writers. With a succinct and informative table of contents, this book can serve as a dictionary of writing, readers can locate what tactics they are interested in, explore it without reading the book cover to cover ( although the book is good enough for you to do so). Introducing from the basic knowledge of sentence structure to the board field of writers' habits, the author...more
I love to read, and I love to write. I especially love to read about writing.
On my way back from a hockey game in Wilkes-Barre one night, I stopped for gas. On top of the gas pump I was using, sat this book. It was in rough shape - wet, discolored, etc. If it had been a book about anything else, I leave it right where it was. But since it was about writing, I took it home.
And I'm glad I did.
This book is on par with Strunk & White, "On Writing", and "Bird by Bird", as far as instructional wri...more
On my way back from a hockey game in Wilkes-Barre one night, I stopped for gas. On top of the gas pump I was using, sat this book. It was in rough shape - wet, discolored, etc. If it had been a book about anything else, I leave it right where it was. But since it was about writing, I took it home.
And I'm glad I did.
This book is on par with Strunk & White, "On Writing", and "Bird by Bird", as far as instructional wri...more
This book is essential reading for every beginning writer. Roy Clark provides the writer fifty tools with which to improve her craft. The chapters are short, informative, and funny and written in a style to illustrate a particular tool. He also provides brief exercises at the end of each chapter—not just writing, but cool exercises like observing people—to spur your thinking or to help increase your understanding.
The passage that resonated with me was his advice to not implement everything in t...more
The passage that resonated with me was his advice to not implement everything in t...more
Though the focus seemed to be primarily on journalism there were some good nugets of information here. Each chapter was written in short 4-7 page pieces with activities to help you understand the point. Some of the information was pulled from other books such as Bird by Bird and On Writing as well as some of the well know style guides. The author is good at providing samples to emphasize without drilling it down your throat. It's a very easy read and also can be found in many bargain bins so I r...more
I really enjoyed this book. Clark gives the writer a toolbox of ideas that range from how to arrange sentences to foreshadowing to working with an editor. All the chapters are short with questions at the end to spur further thought. He arranges the material well so the reader can easily reference a portion of the book later. He demystifies the writing process, as well. The reader leaves believing that he can write well if he takes the time and uses the right tools. Writing tools is an excellent...more
I came to this book via Roy's audio programmes on iTunes U (which are also excellent, and free to download). I had never heard of him before, but was so impressed by the extracts that I bought the book - which is even better. Very accessible, yet not at all superficial, each tool is illustrated by hit-the-mark examples. A practical guide that will improve any writer's work, at any level or genre - I know it has improved mine. Highly recommended.
Reviewer David Williams has a regular writer's blo...more
Reviewer David Williams has a regular writer's blo...more
Before Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer became an actual book, the tools were a series of blog posts Roy Peter Clark wrote over at Poynter.org. The version I've read were those original 50 blog posts collected in PDF form. You can find all the original collected posts here and if you want to you can download the PDF from my Dropbox folder here.
From what you can see on the actual book's table of contents there are some differences from the the names of the tools and how it...more
From what you can see on the actual book's table of contents there are some differences from the the names of the tools and how it...more
I read this book as a companion to William Zinssers excellent ´On writing well´. This book has more hands-on advice in the form of 50 concrete writing tools. Each chapter discusses a tool and concludes with a workshop with exercises to practice using the tool. This book does not only improve your writing, it also helps your reading skills.
This book will surely sit on my desk next to ´On writing well´ for a long time helping me as a reference to improve my writing.
This book will surely sit on my desk next to ´On writing well´ for a long time helping me as a reference to improve my writing.
This is one of the best and most practical books on writing I've read in a long time. The writing style is light, but it's not light on excellent writing advice and information. I slowly worked my way through the 50 strategies and intend to refer to these often in my work. Clark manages to convey his many years of writing experience in easy to understand ways, but not simplistically and he is definitely not pedantic. Can't wait to read his latest book for writers.
This book has many good suggestions and reminders. Part One, Nuts and Bolts, and Part Two, Special Effects, are strong; the second half of the book is less so and I can't say why. When it comes to essence, "fifty essential strategies" is perhaps a lot. The line between good writing technique and manipulation is an interesting question. Clark does not discuss this.
I like how easy to dip in and out of this book. I read it a few chapters every now and again for a few months. It was easy to read, and had some good stories hidden inside. The advice made sense and was easy to follow.
I don't however find myself referring back to it. It's more of a read it and leave it on the shelf rather than have it on the writing desk sort of book.
I don't however find myself referring back to it. It's more of a read it and leave it on the shelf rather than have it on the writing desk sort of book.
More advanced than the cornerstone works in this field (Elements of Style, On Writing Well), but also somewhat repetitious of what is found in those. Possibly the most useful bit is the "workshop" section at the end of tip, which offers active techniques for looking at your recent writing through a new lens and thereby potentially improving it.
Акулам пера, и тем,кто жаждет стать таковым.
Прочтите легендарные «50 Приемов Письма». Автор - Рой Питер Кларк [Roy Peter Clark], книга переведена с разрешения Института Пойнтера, США [The Poynter Institute, USA].
Советую каждый день читать, а далее практиковать хотя бы один метод.
Вы научитесь (а скорее всего, сформулируйте, как правило, то, что и до этого чувствовали) как правильно:
- задавать вопрос;
- сделать так, что слова заиграли, словно бриллианты;
- закручивать интригу в тексте;
- использовать...more
Прочтите легендарные «50 Приемов Письма». Автор - Рой Питер Кларк [Roy Peter Clark], книга переведена с разрешения Института Пойнтера, США [The Poynter Institute, USA].
Советую каждый день читать, а далее практиковать хотя бы один метод.
Вы научитесь (а скорее всего, сформулируйте, как правило, то, что и до этого чувствовали) как правильно:
- задавать вопрос;
- сделать так, что слова заиграли, словно бриллианты;
- закручивать интригу в тексте;
- использовать...more
Provides extremely practical advice on how to write with more impact, including examples and writing exercises to help bring home each point.
I wish I'd had a whole semester in college devoted to the study of this book. Darn Roy Peter Clark for waiting to publish this until 2006. Darn me for being old.
I wish I'd had a whole semester in college devoted to the study of this book. Darn Roy Peter Clark for waiting to publish this until 2006. Darn me for being old.
Great tips. He examines the greats for us, and gives us the a lifetimes of his insights. Thanks Roy Peter Clark for your work! He's saved me a lot of work/time trying to dissect them on my own! Bravo. He kept is all short and concise, E.B. White style.
Really good on content - But is one of the worst set books(typographically) I have ever seen. I don't know if this is only a problem with the digital version, but it made reading the book very difficult, if not annoying. Check the preview before buying.
Roy Peter Clark offers up a great set of practical tools for writers. No
matter if you're a newbie or an old pro, this book will help you hone your craft. Excellent, diverse set of samples from fiction, creative non-fiction, and journalism.
matter if you're a newbie or an old pro, this book will help you hone your craft. Excellent, diverse set of samples from fiction, creative non-fiction, and journalism.
My go-to book for writing - on my desk next to Zinsser's On Writing Well, Stephen King's On Writing and Bird By Bird. So many books about writing but must choose wisely. Kindle download of Ann Pachett's The Getaway Car is newly essential.
If you already have a good handle on the basics of structure, grammar and etc some parts of this book will not be terribly helpful, but it's a good little book for those who are just starting out with their writing.
A wonderful, easy-to-read book packed with suggestions, encouragement, and wisdom. I would love to have this guy as a writing professor -- and in a sense, he is, with this book. very inspirational and practical.
Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark
50 podcasts to go with these available at:
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=...
Recommendation from 2 Writing Teachers
50 podcasts to go with these available at:
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=...
Recommendation from 2 Writing Teachers
This book is mainly written for journalists. If you're looking for help with journalism, articles or anything of the like then this is for you.
As a novelist though there are many pieces of gold in this. Some don't apply to me but there are some definite sparklers. I recommend this as a valuable edition to a bookshelf for any writer.
As a novelist though there are many pieces of gold in this. Some don't apply to me but there are some definite sparklers. I recommend this as a valuable edition to a bookshelf for any writer.
Excellent advice on improvement of writing skills. It's rather like a styles book, with emphasis on how to pack more power in your writing and how to ensure your skills stay sharp.
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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-tumbl...more
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“Everyone should read, we say, but we act as if only those with special talent should write.”
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