Rating: 
Summary: Excellent writing tool!
Review: "Writing isn't easy, it is hard and lonely and the words seldom just flow" says author, editor, and teacher William Zinsser. Zinsser calls "clutter" the disease of American writing. He says the secret to good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Clutter is the laborious phrase that has pushed out the short word that means the same thing. I like his quote, "Few people realize how bad they write." On style, he tells us that you don't just try to add style. It comes with practice; that trying to add style is like adding a toupee. Be yourself, it will come." The author's style is very pure, he is honest, he has wit, humor and a knowledge of the art of writing. The book is sectioned in three parts: Part I is Principles and it covers basics such as clutter, style, the audience, words, usage. Part II is Methods, which discusses unity, the ever important lead and ending and hodge podge of info called Bits and Pieces which delves into punctuation, rewrites, trusting your material, etc. Part III deals with Writing about People - the interview; writing about places - Travel Article; Writing About Yourself - the Memoir, business writing, and writing about the Arts - Critics and Columnists, and writing with humor. Part IV is about Attitudes - The Sound of Your Voice and how to craft a casual effect in writing. He says inexperienced writers miss the point trying to be "just folks." Great book...MzRizz
Rating: 
Summary: Confounding.
Review: A book on writing well should be impeccably written. This one isn't. Extraordinary.
Rating:
Summary: Confounding.
Review: A book on writing well should be impeccably written. This one isn't. Extraordinary.
Rating:
Summary: A writing and editing handbook
Review: As newspaper editor, I quote Zinsser frequently and discuss passages from "On Writing Well" with reporters of all skill levels. He is the flag bearer for all editors -- when you write, tell the story clearly and concisely. Zinsser tells us how to do it -- clearly, concisely and with a style that keeps you coming back.
Rating: 
Summary: Worthless Book
Review: How Zinsser can call himself a writer is beyond me. This book is filled with hostility, arrogance, and hypocrisy. All of the points Zinsser makes about being an effective writer are contradicted at some point throughout the book, either directly via a comment, or through his own writing style. 'Part-time' writers are trivialized and all forms of writing except that which Zinsser purports to practice are criticized. This book is nothing more than a blatant attempt at self-aggrandization. If you're truly interested in being a writer, ignore all of the nonsensical garbage Zinsser writes. Trust me, I've been a newspaper editor for 25 years.
Rating:
Summary: Useful for Both Readers and Writers
Review: I first came across "On Writing Well" fifteen years ago, when I read the second edition. I thought it useful enough that I read it again twice at five year intervals.
Since my copy was literally coming apart at the seams, I purchased this sixth edition, which contains most of the content of the second, but adds chapters about specific forms of writing (The Interview, The Memoir, Science and Technology, Business Writing, Sports, Humor, etc). Additionally, it includes many more examples of what Mr. Zinsser considers to be good writing, some from his own writings and many more from those of other writers.
His selection of writers is so good that I recently purchased a copy of the book as a gift for a foreign student who asked me for list of recent quality American non-fiction.
I like his writing enough that I have read several more of his books ("Writing About Your Life: A journey Into the Past," "Writing to Learn," and "Willie and Dwike"). I find him to be best in writing about memoirs, but like the rest of us he has a limited reservoir of experience, and tends to repeat himself across books. He likes "Willie and Dwike" best of all his books; so do I.
He obviously has had a successful and happy life, which causes him to be a bit of a Pollyanna and critical of writers who write about the dark side of human nature. On the other hand, he does cite Mencken, Joseph Heller, Gary Trudeau and others of that persuasion, so not all is lost.
It's a fine book that will make you both a better writer and a better reader.
Rating:
Summary: Amazingly entertaining and practical!
Review: I was an English major and am currently a freelance editor, and Zinsser's book "On Writing Well" is the only writing book I've ever read that I've found to be both practical and entertaining.
First I must say that "On Writing Well" is not intended as a grammar manual; so if that is what you're looking for, this book is not for you. (In fact, a strict grammarian will find some of Zinsser's opinions and usage rather liberal.)
Zinsser does address craft, however, and this book covers a broad range of writing topics, with chapter titles ranging from "Usage" to "Humor" to "The Sound of Your Voice." One entire section of chapters is devoted to genre-specific insights.
"On Writing Well" doesn't merely tell how to improve writing techniques; it gives interesting examples--articles that I found interesting in and of themselves. In particular, an article about a Saharan caravan caught my attention, and Zinsser shows, step by step, why he wrote that article the way he did.
This book is a "must have" that increased my passion for writing and provided me with the tools to "write well." It was the first book I was told to read in my editorial internship, and I've read it at least three times since.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book.
Review: Pay attention when he says something new. He will show it to you right away.
Rating:
Summary: ONE FOR THE KEEPER SELF
Review: Perfectly updated, Zinsser's book on writing well reminds us of what's important in being an effective writer. This isn't about fiction, but nonfiction. In two days, I've listened to this audio tape four times. The simplicity of Zinsser's advice is refreshing. When I pick up a pen, I always remind myself to keep it simple and say it in as few words a possible. That's pretty much Zinsser's advice. He also believes one who thinks clearly should be able to write clearly. Words are tools. Learn to use the language (tool) "simply and warmly" and you can write, too. He also warns that writing is not easy. A good writer writes and rewrites. Zinsser reminds us that writing is not a contest between writers, but a transaction between the writer and the reader. "My four principles are: Clarity, Simplicity, Brevity and Humanity. If you keep those four principles in mind, there's almost nothing you can't do." Zinsser goes over the four principles and more. Each subject is to the point--as Zinsser's says, "Life is too short." Zinsser gives his readers plenty of wisdom--too much to put in one review. Any writer who takes his own work seriously and wants others to as well should buy the book or audio tape and keep it handy.
Rating:
Summary: This book is EXCELLENT
Review: Since I've endeavored to follow my dream over the past three years to write a novel and my memoirs, I've purchased several books on writing. If there's anything that I can't stand, it's to read something that just doesn't hold my attention or is downright boring. And believe me, I've purchased a few books like that too. But (and Zinsser says it's okay to start a sentence with BUT), I caught a post on Writers Net that made mention of William Zinsser's book about writing nonfiction. I don't buy a book now without checking it out first. I'll have to admit that I was quite impressed with the reviews posted for Zinsser's book. I ordered it. I'm still patting myself on the back and wish I'd ordered the book three years ago when I first started writing. The first chapter in the book had me grinning from ear to ear. Thus,the first thing that came to my mind was "the man's got style". By the time I'd finished reading this book, I knew the man had a lot more going for him than just style. Any writing instructor that manages to write a "how to" book, and still make the book an enjoyable read, definitely has my respect. But (I love this) more than being an enjoyable read, it was an informative read. I highlight important information of a instruction book in bright yellow. Zinsser's book looked like a coloring book on the inside after I'd finished reading it. I'll place this book on my desk for quick reference in the future. I recommend it to anyone who is just starting out or has already made it in the literary world. Zinsser gets my vote as one of the very best in giving good writing instructors.
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