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Keys to Great Writing
by
Stephen Wilbers
“Review from a reader”
“Reviews posted on amazon.com”
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Title: Keys To Great Writing
Author: Stephen
Wilbers
Rating: Excellent: Writers Digest Books
Reviewed by: Norman Goldman
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Posted on www.bestreviews.com
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A writer’s tool kit
should include a good dictionary, a thesaurus, a style manual, and a copy
of Stephen Wilbers excellent book, Keys to Great Writing.
Wilbers credentials are
impressive. He is a former Fulbright scholar, syndicated columnist,
adjunct professor and writing consultant, author of a few books on
writing. In 1995, he won the Outstanding Faculty Award at Hamline
University’s graduate studies program.
What are the keys to
great writing? Wilbers informs us his students always want to know how to
make their writing vivid and memorable. How can they set themselves apart
from other writers? How can they convey their personalities, points of
views and values? How do they learn to write with a distinct style? These
are the principle themes of Wilbers’ book that walks us through in a way
that the reader gets the impression that he is attending a comprehensive
writer’s workshop.
The first part deals
with five keys of how to write: economy of expression, precision, action,
music and personality. The second part deals with five elements of
composition that have more to do with the “what” of writing rather than
the “how.” These are broken down into purpose, point of view,
organization, support and coherence.
Although some of the
material may be familiar from our school days, it is the author’s easy-
to- understand approach that keeps the reader wanting to turn the pages
and learn more. For example, learning the rules of English grammar was not
exactly an exciting subject matter during our pre-college days. Did we
ever relate grammar to music? Wilbers points out “the written word is only
a representation of our spoken, natural language, which is based not on
the letters of the alphabet but on sound expression, and the “sounding” of
words that we do in our heads as we write and read is a poor substitute
for actually speaking and hearing them.” When we speak we can sound happy,
angry, worried or upset. If we learn how to use grammar and punctuation
effectively, we can make our writing pleasing to the ear and convincing.
Novice as well as
experienced writers will find this guide an excellent reference to be
continuously consulted, particularly that the author has included in his
appendix a step-by-step résumé of the keys. As Wilbers mentions in his
introduction, “Learn the five keys to great writing. Understand the five
elements of composition. Practice the techniques relating to both. Do
these things, and you’ll be on your way.” |
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Top
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Review from a reader
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I recently read your new book
Keys to Great Writing. In fact, I read it three times. I’m now working
my way through for a fourth time. I love this book. It has been a wonderful
resource for me.
I found your book by chance
in a local bookstore while looking for other references on writing. As a
technical writer for a biotechnology company in the San Francisco Bay area, I am
always looking for ways to improve the clarity and content of my writing. So I
continue to study the craft of writing on my own. I always have a writing book
on my nightstand; yours has been there for some time. It’s the first thing I
turn to every morning.
–
Louis Wollenberger, Ph.D.
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Reviews posted on amazon.com
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*****
A highly recommended course in one
volume, February 16, 2001
Reviewer:
Midwest Book Review
from Oregon, WI USA
In Keys To Great Writing, Stephen Wilbers covers every aspect of the
craft of writing and shows the aspiring author how to develop a writer's "voice"
that is unique, precise, and effective with their readership. Wilbers covers
every aspect of writing from grammar to revision strategies, offering clear,
effective information. Of special value to the novice writer are his: Four
Mythos 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; Five Ways To
Bring Music to Your Writing; and Fourteen Techniques to Eliminate Wordiness.
Keys To Great Writing is a complete and highly recommended course in one volume
and a valuable reference guide enabling writers to stand out with a distinctive
style and literary presence all their own.
***** A MUST for everyone who wants to improve
style, February 9, 2001
Reviewer:
umist from
Hong Kong Hong Kong
The author provides instant techniques and clever examples such as the emphatic
effect of having a short and snappy sentence after a long one. Like this. The
"cleverest" book I have ever read.
*****
Indispensible and
User-Friendly, January 18, 2001
Reviewer:
A reader
from St. Paul, MN USA
Stephen Wilbers' Keys to Great Writing helped me get organized and get
published. As you would expect if you have been a fan of his syndicated column,
the book is full of clear, excellent advice. But the book gives us a greater
sense of Wilbers' passion for great writing. His warmth and enthusiasm propel
the reader from page to page, so that reading it literally felt like sailing
through the material. If you are looking for inspiration and immediately useful
techniques for improving your writing, this book is for you. (And by the way, it
is true that I got my first important magazine article accepted soon after
reading - and rereading - this book!)
*****
Keys To Great Writing,
January 2, 2001
Reviewer:
Anne B. Jones
from
Jonesboro, Ga.
A writing class in a book? That's what this is. Keys To Great Writing
is as helpful as a first rate creative writing course, and well it should be.
Award-winning writer Stephen Wilbers is an adjunct professor, writing
consultant, author, and syndicated columnist. He knows and produces good
writing. The book is a super resource for those who write for themselves, and a
necessity for professionals.
*****
Brilliant, for new and experienced writers, October 6, 2000
Reviewer:
Craig Dale
from
Sandpoint, ID USA
I read this book as part of a writing workshop. What immediately struck me was
the clarity of his examples, and the clever way he used his own examples (good
and bad) throughout his explanatory sections. So, pay attention when you read,
and you'll see and feel exactly what he means. The book itself starts out with
the "basics". But, rather than explain punctuation and what complex-compound
sentences look like, the author puts everything in broader terms, explaining why
great writers write they way they do. So, we learn about economy of words, the
music of the language, how to raise interest with action, points of view, and
the like. You will definitely learn mechanics and grammar, but in a way that
will make it obvious why we have these rules. You'll also see why we sometimes
break the rules. The second section goes further with organizing your work, and
using supporting text to develop your scenes and characters. We see how to make
everything believable. Finally, we spend some time looking at drafts, rewriting,
and "the writing process." If you are a new writer, you will learn more here
than you can grasp in one reading; if you are an experienced writer, the book
will inspire you to hone your craft even further.
Order copies from
amazon.com.
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