The Forge

Four texts were listed on the syllabus for English 201: The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Eighth Edition, Volume 1; The Elements of Style by Strunk and White; an MLA handbook of some sort (i'd already purchased the official one, 6e), and On Writing Well by William Zinsser. It is the latter of these which peaks my interest.

If you are like me (a question i raise often enough that we probably ought to just settle it now and raise it nevermore) then all you know of writing is what your teachers have imparted to you. You've been told not to write in the first person except in a diary. You've been told that using big words makes you sound smart. You've been told to write an essay of six pages on a topic that could only possibly interest anyone for two. And if you've ever questioned these things, you've been told you were wrong.

Enter Zinsser, who'd like to tell you well no, you're not.

I've read five chapters of On Writing Well.
Chapter 1 deals with various methods of writing, and not fearing them.
Chapter 2 deals with keeping your writing as simple as possible.
Chapter 3 expounds this by flagging a myriad common pitfalls of cluttered writing.
Chapter 4 deals with finding your voice without using too many or too few qualifiers.
Chapter 5 deals with the importance of writing for yourself, no matter who the audience will be.

Sometimes i pick up a book, or a writing tip, or (as is the case here) a book on writing tips, and i know it will stay with me forever. This is such a book. There's nothing i can say that Zinsser won't put more eloquently. If you write, buy this book.