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Keys to Great Writing
Revised and Expanded
by Stephen Wilbers
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Keys to Great Writing: Mastering the Elements of Composition and Revision has been described as "a
writing class in a book" that "breaks down general advice on what to do into
practical steps on how to do it." A recently revised and expanded
edition features an introduction by Faith Sullivan and new writing exercises.
Many books on writing provide commentary on what is wrong
with today’s writing without offering specific instruction on how to make it
right. Keys to Great Writing presents five elements of style
(economy, precision, action, music, and personality), five elements
of composition (purpose, point of view, organization, support, and
coherence), an approach to drafting and revising, a brief glossary of
grammatical terms, a checklist for writing with style, a checklist for
proofreading, and a list of writing resources. Its numerous examples from
literature, on-the-job writers, and students demonstrate why these techniques
work and illustrate how you can use them in your own writing.
Intended for writers of every type
— from on-the-job
writers to creative writers — and at every level of development
— from beginning
to advanced — this book will teach you how to develop a distinctive style that
conveys your unique voice and personality.
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Order copies from
your local bookstore or
amazon.com.
Book reviews
“Make every word count”
Exercises applying 14 techniques presented in
Chapter 1: “Economy”
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Empower your writing! Keys to Great Writing covers every aspect of the
craft, showing you how to develop a writer's voice that is unique, precise and
effective.
From grammar to revision strategies, you'll find the crucial information you
need in short, easy-to-browse sections that enable you to hone your own
signature writing approach. No more wading through dry style manuals. No more
guesswork. Just clear, proven guidance, including:
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Four
Myths of Great Writing
The Elements of Style Checklist
The Elements of Composition
Checklist
The Four-Step Writing Process
Glossary of Grammatical Terms
Proofreading Checklist
Four Common Errors in Word Choice
(and How to Avoid Them)
Five Ways to Bring Music to Your Writing
Fourteen Techniques to Eliminate Wordiness
And much more!
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Keys to Great Writing is like having your own desktop writing coach. Use
it, learn from it, and give voice to the great writer within you.
About the author
Stephen Wilbers is
a Senior Fellow in the University of Minnesota's Technological
Leadership Institute, where he teaches both written and oral presentation
skills. He has also taught in the Carlson School of Management’s M.B.A.
Program, the Program in American Studies, and the Program in Creative and
Professional Writing. In 1995 he won an Outstanding Faculty Award in Hamline
University’s Graduate Public Administration Program.
Dr. Wilbers earned his B.A. at Vanderbilt University and his M.A.
and Ph.D. at the University of Iowa. He
spent his junior year abroad in Aix-en-Provence and he was a Visiting Fulbright
Fellow at the University of Essex in Colchester, England. At the
University of Minnesota he directed student academic support services in the
College of Liberal Arts and
was instrumental in the College’s recognition of
American Sign Language
as “a complete and natural language.” In the late
1980s he served
as Associate Director and Acting Director of the Program in
Creative and Professional writing, where he worked with the creative
writing faculty to establish a multi-section “meet the authors” creative
writing course that is still offered today.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he is an avid reader,
canoeist, cyclist, Nordic ski racer, opera lover, and two-time skydiver. He
and his wife Debbie have two children and two grandchildren. They live in
Minneapolis, where he served on the
Loft Literary Center’s
board of
directors from 2003 to 2009 and as board chair from 2007 to 2009.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Part One: Keys to Great Writing
Chapter 1: Economy
Chapter 2: Precision
Chapter 3: Action
Chapter 4: Music
Chapter 5: Personality
Part Two: Elements of Composition
Chapter 6: Purpose
Chapter 7: Point of View
Chapter 8: Organization
Chapter 9: Support
Chapter 10: Coherence
Part Three: Drafting and Revising
Chapter 11: The Writing Process
Appendix I: A Glossary of
Grammatical Terms
Appendix II: Checklist: Keys to
Great Writing
Appendix III: Checklist: Elements of
Composition
Appendix IV: Checklist for
Proofreading
Appendix V: Recommended Resources
and Reading
Index
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