Tuesday’s writing tip for authors

Here’s your chance to choose, or nominate, your favorite book, or books, about the writing process. Although most writing authorities agree that the best way to write better is to write more, the following books have earned enthusiastic and lasting reputations for the both the quality of the advice they offer, as well as the empathy the authors share with their readers.

Which of the following have you read?

What do you like most about each? How would you rate them in order of clarity, readability, and usability? Which influenced you the most as a writer?

My favorites include: (note that the links take you either to previous blog posts about the book, or to the book’s listing at Amazon:

• Jack Hart’s A Writer’s Coach: The Complete Guide to Writing Strategies that Work. My enthusiasm for this book is based on its emphasis on process, and its perspective as a writing coach for a major newsletter, where reporters don’t have the luxury of “writer’s block.”
• Ken Roman and Joel Raphaelson’s Writing that Works: How to Communicate Effectively in Business. Can advertising copywriters and creative directors write books, or is their expertise limited to headlines and 30-second TV spots? As Writing that Works proves, the principles of benefit, clarity, and conciseness are universal.
• Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style: 50th Anniversary Edition. Often recommended, popular to the point of parody, this remains the shortest and most entertaining guide to the do’s and don’ts of writing.
• William Zinsser’s Writing to Learn: How to Write and Think Clearly About Any Subject at All. One of my favorite topics in Writing to Learn is the author’s emphasis on the legitimacy of writers “modeling” the success of others. This book is also great for new authors who question their “qualifications” to write a book.
• William Zinsser’s On Writing Well 25th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction. This is the book that galvanized me into a writing career by providing a “turning point” insight into the damage and stress that “perfection” can create.

The above list is hardly exhaustive, but it covers the most important titles that focus on “getting it written” rather than topics like book promotion, self-publishing, or “Why write a book?”

You opinion counts!

Which of the above books have you read? Rate them, below, in order of importance and share what you liked most about each one. Tell us if they made a significant difference in your career.

Equally important, if I’ve omitted one of your favorites, please nominate it, below, so I can check it out and write about it in a future post. I’m always interested in books that help others write more confidently and efficiently.