“There are all kinds of writers and all kinds of methods, and any method that helps you to say what you want to say is the right method for you.”.I learn something every time I reread it. Part 3 can be skipped or selectively read. The first half of the book is dense with insightful ideas and practical advice.Ĭons: The second half of the book, while still useful, meanders at times. Pros: One of the definitive books about writing. This is a book I know I’ll return to throughout my life. Despite being targeted at non-fiction writers, much of the advice applies to fiction writing as well. I strongly recommend Zinsser’s book for anyone who wants to improve their writing. Of particular interest are the examples of rewritten or edited passages which illustrate the importance of editing. Zinsser navigates the balance between theory and practice by providing many examples from books and magazine articles. Part 2 describes some of the techniques and methods of good writing. Part 1 establishes the core writing principles: why a writer writes, who they write for and why clarity is so essential to good writing. The most useful content in On Writing Well is found in the book’s first two parts.

Both are great, but of the two, Zinsser’s book is the more enjoyable read. I revisit it every few years, along with Strunk & White’s Elements of Style. Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Gabon Republic, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greenland, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (U.S.On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Non-Fiction by William Zinsser (2012, 30th Anniversary Edition) is one of the best and most practical books on the subject of writing.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser