Writing Guides

Books about writing in general, including improving your style, grammar and word use. Also books on copy editing and proof-reading.

Writing Guides from WritersBookStall


£9.99	The Elements of Style William Strunk Jr., E. B. White Pearson The beloved and much-celebrated American classic on style, which would help any writer. In 21 elegant chapters it shows you how to improve your writing style, covering everything from using the active voice to avoiding fancy words. Writing Guides
£13.99	The New Oxford Guide to Writing Thomas S. Kane Oxford University Press, U.S.A. Described by the New York Times as ‘the best-written (guide) this year’, this gives full coverage of writing, including how write essays and sentences, and punctuation, in one handy large-format paperback. Writing Guides
£10.77	Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing Claire Kehrwald Cook Modern Language Association The complete guide to self-editing, illustrating the most common problems with 700 before-and-after examples and a mass of solid information. Genuinely useful for anyone who wants to improve their writing through editing their own work. Writing Guides
£24.99	Proofreading Plain and Simple (In Plain English Series) Debra May Cengage Learning A well-organized and concise American reference, including the basics of editing, appropriate use of proof-reader's marks, proofreading exercises, examples of how to make corrections, the most common and most critical errors to catch, and a chart of the most common proofreading symbols. Includes recommendations and reminders about the objectives and goals of proofreading. Useful both for the beginner and for those who are experienced in proofreading, pointing out the pitfalls of proofreading one's own work. Writing Guides
£7.50	Freelance Proofreading and Copy-editing: A Guide Trevor Horwood ActionPrint Press Perfect for anyone who is thinking of working as a freelance in the field, this encouraging and helpful sourcebook is aimed at those without experience in either the freelance field or the publishing industry. Its comprehensive coverage includes an overview of the publishing process and the freelancer's role within it; basic proofreading and copy-editing techniques; where and how to find work and training; and a series of instructional exercises which are both evaluative and educational. Writing Guides
£9.99	Eats shoots and leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation Lynne Truss Profile Books Our reviewer called this entertaining surprise bestseller 'Obsessive, entertaining, passionate, this book is a delight and a must-read for anyone interested in the future – and the past - of the language.' Reviewing it in the Observer, Nigel Williams said it was: 'more than a witty, elegant and passionate book that should be on every writer's shelf. Well. Done. Lynne!!!!' Writing Guides
£6.99	Put It in Writing John Whale Orion Shows you how to write with confidence by learning to plan before you write and overcoming writer’s block. Uses brief passages by modern authors to show you how you can write vividly and with a human touch. Writing Guides
£8.99	Put It In Writing: Learn How to Write Clearly, Quickly and Persuasively Albert M. Joseph McGraw-Hill Professional Perfect for anyone who is thinking of working as a freelance in the field, this encouraging and helpful sourcebook is aimed at those without experience in either the freelance field or the publishing industry. Its comprehensive coverage includes an overview of the publishing process and the freelancer's role within it; basic proofreading and copy-editing techniques; where and how to find work and training; and a series of instructional exercises which are both evaluative and educational. Writing Guides
£15.99 Read Review	Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers (Pimlico) Harold Evans, Crawford Gillan Pimlico A truly useful and enjoyable book. ‘You can look forward to reading some of the most exacting analysis of how to use words and sentences effectively, from people who spend their working lives trying to stamp out journalese.’ From our Review Writing Guides
£16.99 Read Review	Troublesome Words Bill Bryson Viking The bestselling writer’s breezy and entertaining book on tricky words. Our reviewer commented that Bryson notes ‘not unreasonably, that he doesn’t actually have the right to tell you or me how we should use the language, but that we may find this simple guide helpful when it comes to dealing with the many problems thrown up by standard written English'. Writing Guides
£9.99	Increase Your Word Power: How to find the right word when you need it, structured exercises to boost your word power, clear explanations for everyday vocabulary problems Angela Burt How To Books Using structured exercises, this shows you how to find the right word when you need it. Writing Guides
£10.99 Read Review	The Art of Punctuation Noah Lukeman OUP Oxford Punctuation can make all the difference between a good piece of writing and a superb piece of writing. In "The Art of Punctuation", Noah Lukeman explores and demystifies each punctuation mark in turn. From the punchiness of the full stop to the unacknowledged flexibility of the question mark, the manifold powers of punctuation are revealed in this practical yet engaging guide. Our reviewer said: 'Lukeman is writing as much about syntax as he is about punctuation, and has failed to notice that the punctuation acts to guide a reader’s understanding of how a sentence has been put together.' Writing Guides
£14.63	The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Well Laurie Rozakis Ph.D. Imprint Unknown Huge paperback volume which provides idiot-proof steps for mastering the right style for many different kinds of writing. Writing Guides
£7.99	The Penguin Writer's Manual Martin Manser, Stephen Curtis Penguin Books Ltd The essential companion to writing good English, covering everything from letters to presentations and reports. Writing Guides
£17.99 Read Review	The Oxford Guide to Style (Language Reference) Robert Ritter Oxford University Press "The Oxford Guide to Style is probably not as instantly entertaining as its companion, The Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors, but it’s one of those quietly efficient books that sits on the shelf and gets on with paying its way in an unglamorous but deeply necessary kind of way, the kind of book you don’t think about until you really need it, but at that moment you’ll be so grateful it’s there." Read the review. Writing Guides
£40.00	Copy-Editing: The Cambridge Handbook for Editors, Authors and Publishers Judith Butcher Cambridge University Press Regarded by many, in British publishing at least, as the Bible on copy editing, this big book does a thorough job, although it may prove too much of a good thing if what you want is an introductory starting-point, rather than an authoritative last word. Writing Guides
£6.99 Read Review	The Nuts and Bolts of Writing Michael Legat Robert Hale Ltd This book is intended for the many would-be authors who want to improve their chances of publication. The first half of the book provides detailed chapters on punctuation, spelling, grammar and the choice of words, so that you can learn how to present your work in a professional manner. The second half of the book focuses on getting into print, dealing with the preparation of a typescript, market research, submissions, contracts, libel, proof-reading and payment. Writing Guides
£12.99	Read This!: Business Writing that Works Mr Robert Gentle Prentice Hall This straightforward and helpful book shows you how to produce simple, clear, commanding but not pompous business writing – and to make people read what you write. It shows you how to grab and sustain your reader's attention, produce a user-friendly layout and draw attention to key passages. It's a fundamental set of techniques that you'll be able to apply to all kinds of business writing - letters, e-mails, reports, memos, websites, business plans, forms, sign boards and even graphs. Writing Guides, Non-Fiction Writing