To be a writer all we need is a good imagination, right? Um, not quite. Our finished product must be written in a manner that is easy for the reader to consume. We need to make sure our writing is clear (not necessarily simple, even literary text can be clear). Why is grammar, structure and even spelling so important? Any form of writing is communication, and the point of communication is to deliver a message that can be understood. If you don't do that, your communication has failed. This is true for business reports, emails, Facebook messages, texting and manuscripts.
When time (and lack of crazy A-Z blogging) permits, I'll give deeper reviews of the books I've read on the craft of writing. But for now, here are a few books I recommend if you need some help with your writing style and structure:
Eats, Shoots Leaves has an engaging narrative and teaches us the importance of punctuation for understanding.
This book is great if you write for kids, it will help you find just the right language.
I promise to try and do some more in-depth reviews later, but you won't regret trying any of the above books. Now, I have about 900 blogs to visit :)
Glad you like Pratchett, and I loved Eats Shoots and Leaves! I'm sad the bookshops are closing, feel guilty that I have turned two books into eBooks but not published in America, so the only way.
ReplyDeleteI thought we got Sundays off in the AZ challenge.
ReplyDeleteI own Stein and Strunk, but I will have to check out these other titles. Have a great Sunday. :)
ReplyDeleteCarole Ann, I think you might be right about choosing epublishing as a priority. Sad, but you have to be realistic.
ReplyDeleteMoody - You may have Sunday off :) I just keep going until something gets in the way, then I'll take the break.
Melissa - Stein and Strunk would get you through pretty much any situation involving a comma ;)
Charmaine, you're like me : just keep moving forward -- something may be gaining behind you!
ReplyDeleteYour writing resource texts are all excellent. Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. It means a lot, Roland
I have recently won an Amazon voucher, and will invest in a couple of the books you mention. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteClear writing is crucial, and these are great book suggestions!
ReplyDeleteClear writing is essential - and I love Eats, Shoots & Leaves :)
ReplyDeleteHow true that clear writing is fundamental. Great post!
ReplyDeleteElements of Style was required reading for me as an undergrad. I should keep a couple of these books in my library since I write a lot of papers and articles for my studies. I tend to cheat some grammatical rules when I write fiction. I just have to keep reminding myself what I'm working on! :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I'll be coming back often. :-)
Great stuff, had a look at some of your older posts. I thought '13 resources' was going to be a link to some magazine article so I was surprised and delighted when it turned out to be your own personal selection. Highly original and useful choices, thanks.
ReplyDeleteregards
Mood
I love your attitude about just keep on going! Great A-D, looking forward to the rest of the challenge. :-)
ReplyDeleteClarity of communication is so important - and not just with written communication. I've been lost in convoluted sentences from politicians and even TV news journalists! I also quite like Stephen King's book, On Writing.
ReplyDeleteYay, new books to read. I've never heard of Eats, Shoots Leaves but it's on the list now! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWonderful book recommendations! Thank you so much for those, especially the free apps. My iphone is my lifeline, so this is a great discovery for me!
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