The Little Red Writing Book
by Brandon Royal
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Book Summary Information
Author: Brandon RoyalEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-07-06
ISBN: 1582975213
Number of pages: 160
Publisher: Writers Digest Books
Book Reviews of The Little Red Writing Book
Book Review: Best Resource Available
Summary: 5 Stars
As a former newspaper reporter/editor who now publishes nonfiction books written by authors in the U.S. and Canada, I recently purchased "The Little Red Writing Book" to add to my professional and personal library. This book immediately reminded me of the classic, "The Elements of Style." I couldn't help noting the similarities and differences between the two.
Here are my insights. "The Elements of Style" is really a grammar book with a dose of style added. "The Little Red Writing Book" is foremost a writing skills book with grammar added. Case in point: "The Elements of Style" devotes half its coverage to "rules of usage" and "words and expressions commonly misused." It doesn't even address structure, whereas "The Little Red Writing Book" wastes no time in discussing the "top-down approach to writing" and the "high school five-paragraph approach to writing." The main take-away from "The Elements of Style" is "cut out unnecessary words," while the gist of "The Little Red Writing Book" is "be specific, give adequate support for what you say."
"The Elements of Style" contains no exercises. "The Little Red Writing Book" does, and this is an indisputable strength of this book, for I know of no other small book that deals with writing and also contains short exercises. I question the usefulness of books about writing that attempt to teach writing without providing exercises. Of course, any handbook of English grammar will contain exercises, but its thickness will prove intimidating for all but the bravest of students.
The introduction of "The Little Red Writing Book" begins with a clear theme: "Writing has four pillars -- structure, style, readability, and grammar -- and each pillar is like the single leg of a sturdy chair. Structure is really about organization and deciding in which order to present your ideas. Style describes how one writes, including how to use specific examples to support what is written. Readability is about presentation, and how to make a document visually pleasing and easy to read. Grammar, including diction, is about expressing language in a correct and acceptable form."
One of my pet peeves with other writing books and writing courses is that they focus primarily on grammar. I believe this has in large part led to the belief that if a person masters grammar, then he or she has mastered writing. I know people who can write technically correct sentences but are still not effective writers. As "The Little Red Writing Book" points out, writing is based on macro elements as well. Grammar, including spelling and punctuation, represents only a single leg.
I also judge a book in terms of its memorable lines, and this book has its share. "An airline pilot never leaves the runway without having a destination and flight pattern." (page 13, writing structure.) "A valued technique, which can be used when writing rough drafts, is to stress the point you wish to make by placing `for example' immediately after what you write." (page 38, support techniques.) "Unpolished writing is like shifting sand in a desert storm. Eventually the storm ceases and the sand sits still." (page 99, readability and the need to let writing "sit" before it's considered finished.) "It is said that 90 percent of writers can use the comma correctly 75 percent of the time, but only 1 percent of writers can use the comma correctly 99 percent of the time." (page 132, punctuation.)
In my assessment, this is the most well-rounded small writing book on the market today. As a bonus, it's also fun to read. I highly recommend it to any high school or college student. When authors contact me with drafts of new manuscripts, I always suggest they pick up a copy of this book so they can review writing fundamentals in a clear yet enjoyable way.
Summary of The Little Red Writing Book
For Writers From All Walks of Life!There's no need to fear the big, bad world of writing with The Little Red Writing Book in hand. Brimming with clever advice, this book offers writers, students, and business professionals a concise guide to penning strong and effective work for all occasions.
The Little Red Writing Book is designed for visual appeal and ease of use. Elegant yet practical, it will be an intriguing, inviting reference you'll turn to again and again. Author Brandon Royal offers clear explanations and non-intimidating instruction based on the four pillars of sound writing ? structure, style, readability, and grammar. His discussion centers on 20 immutable writing principles as well as 30 commonly encountered rules of grammar. A wealth of examples, charts, and engaging exercises make The Little Red Writing Book an invaluable guide for anyone who wants to master those skills that will make a good writer even better.
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