Elementary Books on Writing

The first in my series of resources for writing clear and concise copy

If you've contemplated improving your writing by clearing it up and trimming the fat - you should do it. Clear and concise communication improves chances of saying what you mean and meaning what you say. Here are some of the elementary books on writing that I use and recommend.

The Elements of Style, by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White

If your writing resembles a frothing sumo wrestler, get this book and swallow down its advice every day like a regimen of vitamins. The most fundamental of fundamentals to good, clear copy are in this book.

Good Grammar, by Graham King

Does what it says on the spine.

If You Can Talk, You Can Write, by Joel Saltzman

One of the clearest, sharpest and most helpful books on writing there is. Packed full of fun vignettes, exercises and eye-openers. You’ll read it in a day and return to it constantly.

Choose the Right Word, by S. I. Hayakawa

A thesaurus of sorts, this book explains the precise shades of meaning for any word you’re struggling to come up with. Also recommended: Roget’s Thesaurus.

A Dictionary, by whomever

Get one that’s at least as big as your head. Refer to it often.