Resources for writing

Writing well is hard.  It takes practice, and a ruthless commitment to the delete key – even with one’s favorite sentences.

“Omit needless words.” is rule 17 of The Elements of Style, written by William Strunk and E.B. White. This slim volume is something anyone who writes should have nearby.  I actually read parts of it while I’m editing for the conference newspaper, the website, and the blog.  It keeps me honest with my own writing, too.

E.B. White writes in the introduction about fifty-nine words his teacher, Dr. Strunk, wrote that changed the world (for him at least):

Vigorous writing is concise.  A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.  This requires not that the writer make all sentences short and devoid of detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.

Amen.

Another great book on writing is On Writing Well by William Zinsser. I read chapter 10 while working on the paper or any writing/editing project.  Zinsser calls it ‘bits and pieces’ and it’s full of great tips to make writing better:

• use active verbs, unless you have no choice.  “Joe saw him” is strong.  “He was seen by Joe” is weak.
• Most adverbs are unnecessary.  Music doesn’t ‘blare loudly’.  Music is loud.  “Spare us the news that the athlete grinned widely,” Zinsser writes.
• contractions aren’t bad (no pun intended). “I will be going to see them” is stiff; “I’ll go see them” is not.

When I keep chapter 10 top of mind, my writing improves almost immediately; yours will too.

I finished reading Stephen King’s book On Writing last week, and loved it. King has read the two books mentioned above (he’s also quite fond of “omit needless words”), and like me, cuts adverbs without mercy from his writing (I never seem to get all of them out, though).  He also gave me the best explanation of editing I’ve read.

He advises writers to think always of the ‘Constant Reader’; the person/audience we are writing for.  King says to write the first draft of a story exactly as you hear it in your head, with no interference from anyone else.  This is good advice, I think; it relates well to the Just Start post from earlier in the month.

Because your goal is for the story to be read by someone, though, the drafts that follow should be edited.   First, edit yourself (see ruthless commitment to the delete key, above).  Then, let someone else look at it and make suggestions.  It helps.  It may be uncomfortable at first – it was for me.  But, when you see your writing get better – cleaner, tighter, more energetic – it will be worth the unease.

Remember:  every word tells.

Read Full Post »