On Writing Well: Helping to Sharpen Your Writing
While sitting at my
desk staring at a blank piece of paper, I patiently waited for ideas to form in
my head. I was assigned to write a story about myself and coming from an
average person, I always thought I could not write something exciting that took
place in my life. I am always afraid readers would feel disinterested in my
pieces of writing. On Writing Well, by
William Zinsser, is packed with many useful tips for various types of writing,
which includes writing memoirs. If I only had that book at the time, Zinsser’s
advice would have helped me realize that I should not be “eager to please...
[because] if you consciously write for
a teacher or for an editor, you’ll
end up not writing for anybody. If you write for yourself, you’ll reach the
people you want to write for” (135).
Writing about oneself is a hard task to do, but I was greatly encouraged by Zinsser’s
advice.
This book is a “how to” guide for writing. Having
experience in teaching a writing course at Yale University, Zinsser implemented
his expert guidelines into his book, which allows him to be viewed as a
credible source to readers (Tennore). He constructed the
book into four major parts: “Principles,” “Methods,” “Forms,” and “Attitudes”
of writing. Throughout On Writing Well,
Zinsser provides specific examples to illustrate and reinforce his points. The
examples that are provided are useful, because it allows readers to understand
the tips he proposes in many ways. This
is a good way of making sure the audience will be supplied with the given
concept Zinsser introduces. For example,
in the chapter “A Writer’s Decisions”, Zinsser reveals the helpful ways
decisions can be made when writing. He uses one of his pieces to exemplify
process:
What
struck me most powerfully when I got to Timbuktu was that the streets were of
sand. I suddenly realized that sand is very different from dirt. Every town
starts with dirt streets that eventually get paved as the inhabitants prosper
and subdue their environment. But sand represents defeat. A city with streets
of sand is a city at the edge (267).
He
supplies readers with the above excerpt exemplify how an author’s choice, in
this case about sentence structure, is important while writing. Zinsser sheds
light upon “how simple those five sentences are: plain declarative sentences,
not a comma in sight. Each sentence contains one thought--- and only one.
Readers can process only one idea at a time” (266). By analyzing given excerpts,
Zinsser promotes improvement in a reader’s piece of wring with his clear and
direct tips. This ultimately leads me to believe that On Writing Well is a virtual teaching lesson for writers.
On
Writing Well has supplemented me with valuable lessons in writing. As I try
to be a perfectionist at everything, time is my number one enemy. I consider
myself a slow writer, because I feel that if I take my time with anything, then
the outcome will be outstanding. I now know that it is okay to take time with
writing, because “writing is hard work…very few sentences come out right the
first time, or even the third time” (12). Zinsser presents a motivational tone
for readers while instructing the audience about the fundamentals of writing.
Reading this valuable book, I now
acknowledge many ways I can improve myself as I writer, because I am equipped
with significant information presented in On
Writing Well. It is simple and clear which makes it more effective for
learning and also enjoyable to read. All in all, I think this book is primarily
useful to enhance one’s writing; these individuals can range from students to
teachers and to adults employed in a variety of fields.
Tennore,
Mallary. "William Zinsser's 5 tip for becoming a better writer” Poytner.
N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
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