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Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences

by Neal Allen

A practical guide to stronger sentences

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A practical guide to stronger sentences

Neal Allen organizes this guide around 36 rules for improving sentences across forms such as essays, memos, speeches, scripts, and book writing. Each rule comes with examples and two accompanying essays: one by Allen, drawing on his journalism and corporate careers, and one by Anne Lamott. The authors sometimes differ on the specifics, giving the book room to present more than one perspective on sentence-making. Its advice emphasizes choices such as using strong verbs, favoring plain and specific language, and cutting less useful material.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Writers seeking concrete guidance on revising sentences
  • People working across formats such as essays, memos, speeches, or scripts
  • Readers interested in seeing two writers discuss practical writing rules

Themes

Sentence craftRevision and concisionPlain, specific languageWriting across formats

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

36 ways to improve your writing

Two writers show you how to turn a worthy sentence into a memorable one. Starting where The Elements of Style leaves off, Good Writing can improve your book, your essay, your memo, your blog post, speech, or script. These essential rules for persuasive language work on any type of writing, and anyone can learn them quickly.

Each rule is accompanied by examples and a lively pair of essays, the first by Neal Allen, who developed the list of tips over the course of his journalism and corporate careers; the second by his wife, Anne Lamott, acclaimed author of Bird by Bird and nineteen other nonfiction works and novels. The authors don't always agree on the specifics, but they are passionate about making better sentences.

As Neal writes, "These rules economize, favor the plainspoken and the specific, keep the reader's attention sharp, and in other ways show respect for the audience's time and desire for novelty."

Some rules are fundamental: Use strong verbs. Remove the boring stuff. Twist clich
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