Chapter 18 in the book presents some print and online resources that will help you strengthen your writing. These resources have helped me immensely as a writer, editor, and teacher, and I’m confident they will serve you just as well. Here’s a sample of some of the suggested resources you’ll find in this chapter:
BOOKS
Grammar and reference books
Hacker, Diana, and Nancy Sommers. A Canadian Writer’s Reference. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016.
Style books
Wilbers, Stephen. Keys to Great Writing: Mastering the Elements of Composition and Revision. 2nd ed. Fort Collins: Writer’s Digest Books, 2016.
Business, science, and technical writing books
Alley, Michael. The Craft of Scientific Writing. 3rd ed. New York: Springer, 1996.
Editing books
Virag, Karen, ed. Editing Canadian English: A Guide for Editors, Writers, and Everyone Who Works with Words. 3rd ed. Toronto: Editors’ Association of Canada, 2015.
Good writing = good business
Careful! These boxes are sensitive.
Writing is hard, but the more you write, and enjoy what you write, the better it gets.
~ ALICE MUNRO
Business writers who write like students miss the mark.
~ MARGARET CHANDLER
The most important tool you have on a resumé is language.
~ JAY SAMIT
This report, by its very length, defends itself against the risk of being read.
~ WINSTON CHURCHILL
Tweet others the way we want to be tweeted.
~ GERMANY KENT
When writing about science, don’t simplify the science; simplify the writing.
~ JULIE ANN MILLER
Most writing is rewriting.
~ E. B. WHITE
The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.
~ ROBERT CORMIER
Make your mantra this: everything clear on first reading.
~ MARGARET CHANDLER
Writing and learning and thinking are the same process.
~ WILLIAM ZINSSER
Clarity in business writing is not a luxury.
~ RICHARD BRANSON
The more you explain it, the more I don’t understand it.
~ MARK TWAIN
We tell our thoughts, like our children, to put on their hats and coats before they go out.
~ HENRY FOWLER
Good writers value two-way communication and connection rather than a one-way information dump and run.
~ MARGARET CHANDLER
What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.
~ SAMUEL JOHNSON
There’s no such thing as bad writing, only bad rewriting.
~ ROBERT GRAVES
Whatever joy there is in the writing process can come only when the energies are flowing freely.
~ BETTY S. FLOWERS
Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of style.
~ MATTHEW ARNOLD
Good Writing Skills
Do you believe that good writing skills will bring you future success?
- Strongly agree
- Agree
- Not necessarily
- Disagree
Do you believe that good writing skills will bring you future success?
- 29% Strongly agree
- 68% Agree
- 3% Not necessarily
- 0% Disagree
Do you believe that good writing skills will bring you future success?
- Strongly agree
- Agree
- Not necessarily
- Disagree
Do you believe that good writing skills will bring you future success?
- 29% Strongly agree
- 68% Agree
- 3% Not necessarily
- 0% Disagree