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On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

William Zinsser

4.26 · Rating details · 22,048 ratings · 1,765 reviews

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 ...more

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Paperback, 30th Anniversary Edition, 336 pages

Published April 5th 2016 by Harper Perennial (first published 1976)

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Nov 02, 2013 Roy Lotz rated it liked it

Shelves: prose-style, help-me-help-myself

It’s always intimidating setting out to write a review of a book on writing. One feels naked, exposed—now you have to prove that you’ve learned something. Lucky for me, I am a creature with little shame, so I’ll let my prose all hang out.

After reading Pragmatism by the American philosopher William James, I’ve realized that some American qualities cut deep. We are a people who love action and despise abstract argument. We like to see efficiency and real-world results. We set ourselves a goal an ...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Rowena rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: writing

Brilliant book!I definitely learned a lot of extremely useful advice from this book. I learned about the writing mistakes that I was making, and also how to enrich my own writing. Zinsser's tone and sense of humour made reading the book fun and interesting. This is the kind of book I would re-read every now and then for inspiration.

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Oct 17, 2015 Francisco rated it it was amazing

How do you learn to write, really, other than by writing. But now and then, it's good to pause and think about the art of good writing, the craft. This famous little book can be the reflective pause that will help you be care-full, love-full, with your work. The book is not just more of the same old stuff you've always heard. The advice given by the author is creative and his examples of good writing are informative and insightful. And because good writing is always connected to the inner life a ...more

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Sep 05, 2010 Alissa rated it it was ok

Shelves: manuals

Zinsser's first few chapters talk solely about eliminating clutter and simplifying your work... yet his book is more than 300 pages of repetitive, hypocritical and lengthy sentences. This book could have been easily shortened to 50-100 pages. I was not a fan of his many examples (quite frankly, I skipped over most of them). Most of all, I wish Zinsser followed his own advice - simplify, and trust your material (don't feel the need to explain almost every single principle; we get it). The book, h ...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Shanae rated it did not like it

This book may have a few valuable suggestions throughout, but it is difficult to reap Zinsser's lessons through his sexism and eurocentrism. He uses his own work (Haircurl) in the "Humor" chapter for no good reason because he really doesn't do anything with it except to show that it is funny. Unfortunately, it is not funny, and it is actually quite offensively mocking women. In "A Writer's Decisions" he describes a piece he wrote with thickly layered romanticism about a desert tribe that exotici ...more

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Aug 18, 2015 Thomas rated it really liked it

Shelves: about-writing, nonfiction, own-physical

A straightforward guide to writing solid nonfiction. William Zinsser offers sound advice, including how to eliminate clutter and ways to target your audience. He spans several genres within nonfiction, ranging from sports writing to travel articles to memoir. He incorporates several example passages from his favorite writers and from his own work.

On Writing Well provided tangible, quality writing tips. It did not excite me, though. Zinsser has a somewhat eurocentric perspective and his writing s ...more

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May 18, 2007 Katelyn Beaty rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: person who wants to write all good

Shelves: classics, books-on-books

I always thought of the ability to write well as a gift more than a skill--kind of like hand-eye coordination, or rhythm. You either have it or you don't. It's not until I began working in the editorial world that I realized the writing which seems effortless is that which requires the most effort. Part of my training at this job required reading a quintessential work on nonfiction writing, William Zinsser's "On Writing Well" (30th Anniversary edition). I was warned that it's a slow burn--perhap ...more

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Mar 12, 2019 Amir Tesla rated it liked it

A good book on writing non-fiction.

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Jan 22, 2012 John rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: writing

On Writing Well may primarily focus on non-fiction, but parts of it should be required reading for novelists, as well. Though, at first, Zinsser’s advice may seem anal–retentive and persnickety, it is great for keeping your work focused and making your sentences sharper.
The best part of On Writing Well focuses on“trimming the fat in the sentences you write. Zinsser provides a hand-edited page of his own On Writing Well manuscript as an example of how to cut down on useless words, and it is tru On Writing Well may primarily focus on non-fiction, but parts of it should be required reading for novelists, as well. Though, at first, Zinsser’s advice may seem anal–retentive and persnickety, it is great for keeping your work focused and making your sentences sharper.
The best part of On Writing Well focuses on“trimming the fat in the sentences you write. Zinsser provides a hand-edited page of his own On Writing Well manuscript as an example of how to cut down on useless words, and it is truly amazing to see how much even an expert writer like him can remove from his work without its losing any meaning or artistic merit. Not only should you eliminate useless words, but, according to Zinsser, you should also avoid using large words when smaller ones will suffice. I think this is especially good advice for fiction because, the easier a novel is to read, the more easily readers can lose themselves in it. I admit to being a fan of Lew Wallace’s Ben-Hur (which Zinsser despises for its verbosity), but I can certainly see his main point, which can be summed up as, “Easy reading is damn hard writing"—to quote Hawthorne. Some writers (i.e. Faulkner, Joyce, etc.) can get away with breaking the rules because, as Zinsser states, they were geniuses. But, for the rest of us, getting the point across succinctly is the best way to satisfy our readers, should we be lucky enough to have any.
Using active sentences as often as possible further helps make our writing more interesting, both in fiction and non-, and, of course, in fiction, you also need to provide readers with a “hook” in order to ensnare them in your narrative. Knowing the exact meanings of words causes readers to put faith in you, and it’s important not to misuse or confuse them. Zinsser recommends keeping a dictionary handy at all times, which is an idea I am trying to take to heart.
Zinsser’s view of writing is that it is hard, arduous work—something the fiction writer should keep in mind because people tend to get the wrong impression that writing fiction amounts to little more than daydreaming at a desk all day. Nothing could be further from the truth: Great writers must be extremely meticulous and precise in their art, both in regard to story and the proper use of the English language. Reading Zinsser’s book is pretty discouraging in that it focuses mostly on the aspects of writing that people find most boring, however important they may be. Serious writers will, however, find it indispensible.

...more

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Jan 25, 2008 Steven rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Anyone who wants to improve their writing.

Shelves: reference, writing

One of the oldest ways to master a craft is through imitation and writing well is no different. Zinsser's book stands alongside Strunk & White's "Elements of Style" as one of the best guides on how to write clearly and effectively. The book's tone and style is much like a series of lectures from a professor who projects a sense of knowledge, warmth, and passion.

Zinsser illustrates many of his points through the use of personal anecdotes and examples culled from writers of different disciplines. ...more

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May 06, 2020 Joy D rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, self-help, writing, business1, reviewed, zck

On Writing Well provides advice on how to write non-fiction. It is logically organized into four sections: Principles, Methods, Forms, and Attitude. The first section covers the basics. It conveys tips on writing in a straight-forward uncluttered manner with emphasis on action verbs. The second focuses on organization, presentation, and structure. The third shows examples of different types of writing, such as travel, memoir, science, business, sports, arts, and humor. The last section explores ...more

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May 22, 2017 Michael Galdamez rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-17, school-resource, school-reading, senior-year-hs

Writing a sufficiently well-written review for a well-written book about how to write well is a lot to write well.

So I'll write it well later.

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Mar 18, 2014 Rosie Nguyễn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: writing

A must read for those whose works relate to writing: students, teachers, businessmen, reporters, and of course, writers. Very useful tips along with very witty style. And above all, a man with high passion, virtue and responsibility with his job.

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Nov 09, 2019 Neil R. Coulter rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, editing

Returning to On Writing Well some years after the last read-through is like reconnecting with an old friend. This was one of the first books I read when I really started to learn how to write (which, I might mention, happened after I‘d completed a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees, and a PhD; thank you, American higher education). William Zinsser’s clarity and winsomeness fueled my love of writing and editing, and looking at the book now, I’m almost startled to recognize how much of my edi Returning to On Writing Well some years after the last read-through is like reconnecting with an old friend. This was one of the first books I read when I really started to learn how to write (which, I might mention, happened after I‘d completed a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees, and a PhD; thank you, American higher education). William Zinsser’s clarity and winsomeness fueled my love of writing and editing, and looking at the book now, I’m almost startled to recognize how much of my editing personality came from Zinsser. I’ve worked with hundreds of clients on editing and proofreading, and I know that Zinsser’s wise guidance has benefited all of them.

What I still love about On Writing Well is the simple, direct, encouraging style Zinsser uses. He makes the writing process seem so natural and clear. He demystifies common ideas about the work and craft, making it seem like something I really can do. I also appreciate the range of his perspective. He finds something to love in all kinds of writing—memoir, humor, travel, sports, and others. That breadth pushes me to find the good in a wide array of genres, too. I wish Zinsser would have talked more about academic writing, but that wasn’t his forte; and much of what he does say would improve writing in the humanities.

Zinsser completed the final revision of On Writing Well in 2006, and nine years later he died. As much as I continue to love the book and Zinsser’s influence, I’m also sad in this read-through to see that the book’s other-era-ness is now hindering its potential to speak to writers today. There are some cringing moments when Zinsser writes about other cultures and subcultures, other places in the world, and women. And though Zinsser writes carefully about humor, his own sense of humor now feels dated and corny. (It’s hard to imagine that his Haircurl satire was ever funny.) Some of his guidance is so outdated that it’s now wrong—such as his advice about interviewing, in chapter 12.

What I’d like is a writer’s guide that is still much closer to On Writing Well than to A World Without “Whom,” but that takes into account the speed of language change, the influence of internet communication, and pop culture references and a sense of humor that fit into today’s world. Zinsser took a particular approach to writing—an approach that looks back especially to E. B. White, one of Zinsser’s heroes—to its limit; now I want to read someone with that same wisdom but situated in this moment.

I’ll be reading On Writing Well with students next semester, and I’m very curious to see how they respond to it. I hope they’ll be able to take advantage of all the good it offers, without being distracted by its shortcomings; and I hope Zinsser will be a friend to them in their writing journeys. ...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Miranda Cary rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reading-list-for-2013, independent-reading-for-school

In my opinion this book, compared to Elements of Style, is like being transported to an entirely different world in itself. No longer is some taut professor (sorry, Mr. White and Mr. Strunk! I still love you.) slapping a ruler against the board, directing you what verbs to use and which tenses sound best, what constitutes as good language compared to language that is gaudy and overrated, only putting the ruler down by the last few minutes of class to speak calmly with you; if White and Strunk tr In my opinion this book, compared to Elements of Style, is like being transported to an entirely different world in itself. No longer is some taut professor (sorry, Mr. White and Mr. Strunk! I still love you.) slapping a ruler against the board, directing you what verbs to use and which tenses sound best, what constitutes as good language compared to language that is gaudy and overrated, only putting the ruler down by the last few minutes of class to speak calmly with you; if White and Strunk truly taught that way, then Zinsser's style is simple. Take away the ruler, throw out the board, pull up a chair and get to the point--staying true to yourself and your craft.

Not that Strunk and White weren't already amazing teachers--Elements of Style is a brilliant guide. I just feel more relaxed with Zinsser, as if he's some kindly old professor who's taught the same lesson over and over again and refuses to do it in the same drab style. He doesn't just teach you the steps; Zinsser lets you explore further, allowing yourself to question what you're about to write and how to approach it, whatever the genre may be for your article. Not a word is out of place, and he keeps the definitions and directions fresh in our minds with examples from all sorts of sources.

I may not write a lot of nonfiction in my life, but On Writing Well isn't just for people with a desire to write. It's for anyone who NEEDS to write, and that's practically every person in this whole country, let it be businessman or teacher or whatever other profession that someone can have.

There are so many quotes from this book that I can rattle on about, but I'll leave you all with the most recent quote that popped into my mind:

"But finally the purposes that writers serve must be their own. What you write is yours and nobody else's. Take your talent as far as you can and guard it with your life. Only you know how far that is; no editor knows. Writing well means believing in your writing and believing in yourself, taking risks, daring to be different, pushing yourself to excel. You will write only as you make yourself write." ...more

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Oct 01, 2013 ♥ Ibrahim ♥ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: thinkers-i-adore, writing

Books on writing can be intimidating but this books is charming and makes me want to read more and more. This book is written "well" by a man who knows how to "Write Well."
It is by no means a compliment to tell Zinser that anybody can write and we all can take up writing on the side. No. Writing is a craft rather than an art and we have to work at it. Our writing should be simple and clutter-free. Clear thinking becomes clear writing. Therefore, to write is always to rewrite over and over and o ...more

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Sep 07, 2018 Mehrsa rated it it was amazing

Really great practical advice on writing--be clear, be truthful, and don't get cocky. I should re-read this one again and again

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Oct 21, 2011 Daniel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, the-first-thousand, classics

Why Zinsser Still Matters

Second only to The Elements of Style, this is the best book ever written for writers. In many ways, it's better than Strunk and White, which tends to focus on grammar and the actual mechanics of writing as opposed to how a writer should think and approach things. The book focuses on nonfiction, but many (if not most) of the principles apply equally to any style of writing. Even chapters on things like how to do an interview offer valuable insights into what you're lookin Why Zinsser Still Matters

Second only to The Elements of Style, this is the best book ever written for writers. In many ways, it's better than Strunk and White, which tends to focus on grammar and the actual mechanics of writing as opposed to how a writer should think and approach things. The book focuses on nonfiction, but many (if not most) of the principles apply equally to any style of writing. Even chapters on things like how to do an interview offer valuable insights into what you're looking for when creating good characters or how to recognize and shape a character's voice.

The real victory of this book though comes in rescuing writing from the pomposity of the writing world. It approaches writing from it's long abhorred but more important angle of craftsmanship. Writing is not just an art. Sure, there is art involved, but it's also a craft, a skill that can be learned and honed and developed. Writers who think of what they do as a form of magic would do well to read this book. This error in understanding is even more pervasive in the category of aspiring writers than it is in publishing.

I recall hearing Neil Gaiman talk about how writers will write something, send it out, and wait for a response. If the responses come back negatively, then the writer decides that she is simply too far ahead of her time, or that the publishers simply don't understand what she was doing. "They don't get it," is the common writer's reply. Gaiman contended that the more likely truth is that what you've written simply isn't any good. Maybe it could be good if you fixed it, but it isn't now.

Craft is the bridge that allows you to fix it. It can't really be fixed with art. This is a book about the craft of writing and every writer would do well to read it periodically. I try to read it every couple of years just to refresh myself. I never fail to find new insights or discover new ways to approach the problems of writing.

It seems to me that writers who don't read and study this book along with a few others (The Elements of Style, On Writing, among others) are really just playing at being a writer. They are, as Alan Alda would say, "stuffing the dog". ...more

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Aug 14, 2017 Mark Jr. rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017

Aside from his advice about usage—which made me deeply grateful for the more rigorously empirical and linguistically accurate advice of Steven Pinker’s *Style*—this book was a delight. The advice was sage, drawing as it did from a multi-decade depth and breadth of experience both in writing and in teaching writing. The excerpts singled out for praise and analysis were excellent, paragons of prose. I will return to this book. It confirmed some of my most deeply held views about writing (especiall ...more

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Feb 11, 2014 Cathy DuPont rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

With Steve's review, I was reminded that I had read this years ago and it's in my "book closet" where I have all my writing reference books.

When did I read it? Well, I would have to think back and I can figure it out but it will take a while and I would rather be reading than go down that particular "memory lane."

Five stars indicates what I thought of this book and glad to know that it's contents are still valid today.

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Nov 16, 2018 Dave I rated it really liked it

Classic seminal work on editing, phrasing and delivering a message.

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Jun 27, 2012 Michael Spotts rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Writers trapped in jungles

Shelves: non-fiction-writing-skills

Turning the last page of On Writing Well, by William Zinsser, I compulsively kissed the cover—an act of grateful reverence bestowed on few books in the Spotts library, effectively Knighthood in the realm of my reading. This distinction was earned by Zinsser’s incomparable usefulness to the Writer that Would Be. Many “accomplished authors” have assumed the task of sharpening our nibs, and showed themselves little more than grammarians, or seized the chance to flaunt their cloying style and terrib Turning the last page of On Writing Well, by William Zinsser, I compulsively kissed the cover—an act of grateful reverence bestowed on few books in the Spotts library, effectively Knighthood in the realm of my reading. This distinction was earned by Zinsser’s incomparable usefulness to the Writer that Would Be. Many “accomplished authors” have assumed the task of sharpening our nibs, and showed themselves little more than grammarians, or seized the chance to flaunt their cloying style and terribly terrific wit—without saying anything about the actual process of writing.

But On Writing Well gives only the most functional tips. Where others drag out a trunk of fancy silverware to vainly oodle, Zinnser knows you are lost in a jungle with limited time, and hands you a few stout blades to cut through the thicket. His tools are based on a simple survival tactic: cut excess weight and get into the clear fast. It’s the difference between dead prose and living text. This is not to say his book is light on material. Spartan, yes, but not frail. In 300 pages he covers such dilemmas as: How to create a sense of persona—What sort of words and phrases to avoid—Where to get fresh ideas—How to maintain interest. But be prepared to work, because Zinsser’s key idea is, “You will write only as well as you make yourself write.” (p. 293)

Just how much work goes into good writing? The Teacher himself admits in one place, “Altogether, the sentence took almost an hour.” He is quick to add, however, “I didn’t begrudge a minute of it. On the contrary, seeing it fall into place gave me great pleasure. No writing decision is too small to be worth a large expenditure of time. Both you and the reader know it when your finicky labor is rewarded by a sentence coming out right.” (p. 271)

All this effort tempts writers to indulge themselves with keeping every hard-won sentence in the final draft. But good writing is as much about what you reserve as what you say. “At such moments I ask myself one very helpful question: “What is the piece really about?” (Not just “What is the piece about?”) Fondness for material you’ve gone to a lot of trouble to gather isn’t a good enough reason to include it if it’s not central to the story you’ve chosen to tell. Self-discipline bordering on masochism is required. The only consolation for the loss of so much material is that it isn’t totally lost; it remains in your writing as an intangible that the reader can sense. Readers should always feel that you know more about your subject than you’ve put into writing.” (p. 273-274)

The right amount of content still means little if your ideas are jumbled. An undirected crowd quickly dissolves into an unruly mob, and text that is not strictly governed by logic will run mad, disorienting your reader:

“Learning how to organize a long article is just as important as learning how to write a clear and pleasing sentence. All your clear and pleasing sentences will fall apart if you don’t keep remembering that writing is linear and sequential, that logic is the glue that holds it together, that tension must be maintained from one sentence to the next and from one paragraph to the next and from one section to the next, and that narrative—good old-fashioned storytelling—is what should pull your readers along without them noticing the tug. The only thing they should notice is that you have made a sensible plan for your journey. Every step should seem inevitable.” (p. 265-266)

On Writing Well is as biographical as it is grammatical. Zinnser illustrates his points with detours into his history as a newspaper writer for the Herald Tribune, and with anecdotes from his worldwide travels. These sidelines serve an important purpose, which is to embed the fact that nonfiction thrives on interesting details and stories which are most often found outside of the writer’s carrel. Narrative asides and unlikely points of trivia lend human feeling to your prose, but also require a lot of legwork.

“As a nonfiction writer you must get on the plane. If the subject interests you, go after it, even if it’s in the next county or the next state or the next country. It’s not going to come looking for you. Decide what you want to do. Then decide to do it. Then do it.” (p. 285)

“Given a choice between two traveling companions — and a writer is someone who asks us to travel with him — we usually choose the one who we think will make an effort to brighten the trip.” (p. 288)

As stated above, for all but the most sainted writers, developing your craft will inevitably involve sweat, swearing, and late nights glaring at a rebellious blank page. The sentence you want is often huddling in the corner behind a half-wrought, mangy animal that hisses until you get up the courage to make it submit. Don’t be intimated. Keep at it, and you’ll eventually dominate the phrase so that it becomes man’s best friend.

“The final advantage is the same one that applies in every other competitive venture. If you would like to write better than everybody else, you have to want to write better than everybody else. You must take an obsessive pride in the smallest details of your craft. And you must be willing to defend what you’ve written against the various middlemen – editors, agents and publishers — who sights may be different from yours, whose standards not as high. Too many writers are browbeaten into settling for less than their best.” (p. 289)

Eventually you will master the mechanics of strong English. You’ll breath the four cardinal maxims—Brevity, Clarity, Simplicity, Humanity—as your native air. From there, you will begin speaking with a new tongue, one unique to you, composed of your tastes and experience—your style. Once you gain your voice, whatever you do, fight for it. Editors and self-made critics will suggest you scrub your text of those flavorful nuances that make it your own. But, says Zinsser, “if you allow your distinctiveness to be edited out, you will lose one of your main virtues. You will also lose your virtue.” (p. 292)

Final Verdict: If you want to improve your prose, leave all and sit for a while at the feet of Zinsser. ...more

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Aug 18, 2020 Whitney rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020, school-books, books-i-own

~3.5~
I am pretty impressed with myself that I finished this book in a week...But it was interesting and VERY helpful for writing future papers and even in my writing outside of school. I did find myself skipping over some paragraphs sometimes and just scanning (that is why I rated it lower). But overall, it was a good read. I think that I would've enjoyed it more if I didn't have to read it for school...but aren't we all like that?

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May 31, 2018 Leo Walsh rated it it was amazing

What can I say about Zinsser that hasn't already been said? I read my first version of this book in the eighties as a side-text for a university comp class. And this is the third edition I've read. The core material stays the same, but this edition includes writing clear, concise prose for electronic media and meetings in addition to the paper-writing skills I focused on at 18.

Five stars. A classic. Plus.

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Oct 18, 2019 Mark Seemann rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

Write for you because otherwise what you write becomes impersonal. Write for the reader because otherwise what you write becomes parochial.

I'm already a writer, so I didn't buy this book to learn how to write. I bought it to become a better writer. Maybe it will make me a better writer.

I admit that I'm inspired to write about topics that I previously have not touched. How can I fault a book that inspires me?

On the other hand, I had expected more concrete advice on how to structure my writing; ho ...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Viviana D. Otero rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-top-twenty

I first read On Writing Well years ago when I was assigned to co-teach a writing course for Duke University’s Talent Identification Program (TIP) the summer of 2000. I thought then, I was prepared to teach a bunch of highly intelligent teens about the elements in writing great nonfiction. It turned out, however, that I learned much more about the writing process thanks to Zinsser. The head instructor for the course had read the book and informed me that our classes would be doing so as well. On ...more

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Mar 31, 2010 Taka rated it it was ok

Shelves: japan_jul07-aug11, writing_reference

Read the first two parts--

Witty, concise, and informative, the first two parts on "Principles" and "Methods" are brilliant. These parts, however, constitute 30% of the book. The rest of the book - that is, 70% - is uneven and can be skipped without missing out on anything important.

The only chapters I found worth reading are those on "Science and Technology," "Business Writing," and "Writing About Arts," all of which are in Part III. Other than these, none of the chapters say anything that hasn' ...more

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Apr 09, 2019 Nente rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-original, nonfiction, on-writing

The first two parts are more useful than the rest, and there is much more to agree with in this book than in Elements of Style, which is often dogmatic about usage and so gets dated. However, Zinsser's viewpoint is very noticeably that of an insular American. Not being American, I find this amusing in several ways.

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Jan 22, 2018 Andreea Lucau rated it really liked it

I got some very useful tips from this book for improving my writing skills. I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the second - it contained more advice that I could put into practice. The second half made me a harsher critic of all nonfictional pieces that I'll read.

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Jun 17, 2015 Barnabas Piper rated it it was amazing

Stephen King's "On Writing" is my favorite on the subject, but Zinsser might be even more useful. A classic for good reason.

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About William Zinsser

William Zinsser

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William Knowlton Zinsser is an American writer, editor, literary critic, and teacher. He began his career as a journalist for the New York Herald Tribune, where he worked as a feature writer, drama editor, film critic, and editorial writer. He has been a longtime contributor to leading magazines.