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Style: The Basics of Clarity and Grace
"Style: The Basics of Clarity and Grace" reflectsthe wisdom and clear authorial voice of Williams' best-selling book, "Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace," while streamlining every chapter to create a very brief, yet powerfully direct guide to writing with style. The concise clarity of this book makes it a handy reference for anyone interested in good writing--as well as a quick and ideal guide for freshman composition courses, writing courses across the disciplines, and as a supporting text in courses that require clear and direct writing. "Style: The Basics "covers the elemental principles of writing that will help students diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of their prose quickly and revise effectively. The text features principles of effective prose written in Williams' hallmark conversational style, offering reason-based principles, rather than hard and fast rules, for successful, effective writing.
176 pages, Paperback
Published January 14, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
May 24, 2009
This is my favorite left-brained writing book. It's taking me forever to read it, but that's okay, and when I finish, I might just go back and read it again. I like it that Williams gets me to think about sentences. I naturally write like a runner, as if getting to the finish line first were the only measure of success. I'm too damn old to run like a runner any more, no why not plug on with paragraphs and pages as if they were timed laps on the track? But of course that isn't the way writing works. It's more like a performance than a race, slow and persnickety.
This book works mostly at the sentence level, which is my weakest point. The examples come from business and technical writing, but that's okay -- it doesn't take much imagination to generalize the lessons. Like all writing books, it's a bunch of ideas stated as facts. That's okay too. We don't have anything to go on but ideas.
This book works mostly at the sentence level, which is my weakest point. The examples come from business and technical writing, but that's okay -- it doesn't take much imagination to generalize the lessons. Like all writing books, it's a bunch of ideas stated as facts. That's okay too. We don't have anything to go on but ideas.
July 3, 2024
5+ stars (9/10 hearts). This book is a gem. It was recommended to me by my university copyediting professor when I asked her for help in revising/rewriting. I read it in two days, just before my exam, and walked off enlightened. I’m pretty sure it’s also the reason I did very well on my exam.
This book is sharp, clear, and brief, yet also beautiful, graceful, enjoyable, and witty. In ten chapters, Williams explains succinctly how to write clearly and coherently. A lot of what he said reminded me of The Elements of Style by E.B. White & William Strunk Jr. So many things that had confused me, or that I’d been on the fence about, he made clear and persuaded me were best. I took so many notes which I am eager to flip through, but mostly I am eager to go through this book again. He explained exactly what to do, and yet showed that your own discretion and style must be applied. In short, he did exactly what he promised: taught me how to write with clarity and grace, to wrong neither myself nor my reader.
A few excerpts will show what I mean:
“There are times when the more the authors explain [about ape communication], the less we understand. Apes certainly seem capable of using language to communicate. Whether scientists are remains doubtful.”
“Every paragraph, section, and whole in a piece of writing has to have a point that the rest supports, explains, or develops.”
“Use [the passive voice when]:
• you don’t know who did an action, your readers don’t care, or you don’t want them to know.
• you want to shift a long & complex bundle of information to the end of its sentence, especially when it also lets you move to its beginning information that is shorter & more familiar & therefore easier to understand.
• you want to focus your readers’ attention on one or another character.”
“You may know who is doing what, but readers know less than you do and so usually need more help than you think.”
“But readers prefer that most of your subjects be characters and most of your verbs be actions. When that’s the case, they will describe your prose as clear and direct.”
“Readers think you write clearly when you use no more words than necessary to say what you mean.”
“Write unto others what you would have others write unto you.”
I highly recommended it to all writers and editors.
Content: There is a page where he discusses a sentence taken from a newspaper that talks about prostitutes. There’s just one or two words that need to be whited out to make the sentence completely clean, however.
This book is sharp, clear, and brief, yet also beautiful, graceful, enjoyable, and witty. In ten chapters, Williams explains succinctly how to write clearly and coherently. A lot of what he said reminded me of The Elements of Style by E.B. White & William Strunk Jr. So many things that had confused me, or that I’d been on the fence about, he made clear and persuaded me were best. I took so many notes which I am eager to flip through, but mostly I am eager to go through this book again. He explained exactly what to do, and yet showed that your own discretion and style must be applied. In short, he did exactly what he promised: taught me how to write with clarity and grace, to wrong neither myself nor my reader.
A few excerpts will show what I mean:
“There are times when the more the authors explain [about ape communication], the less we understand. Apes certainly seem capable of using language to communicate. Whether scientists are remains doubtful.”
“Every paragraph, section, and whole in a piece of writing has to have a point that the rest supports, explains, or develops.”
“Use [the passive voice when]:
• you don’t know who did an action, your readers don’t care, or you don’t want them to know.
• you want to shift a long & complex bundle of information to the end of its sentence, especially when it also lets you move to its beginning information that is shorter & more familiar & therefore easier to understand.
• you want to focus your readers’ attention on one or another character.”
“You may know who is doing what, but readers know less than you do and so usually need more help than you think.”
“But readers prefer that most of your subjects be characters and most of your verbs be actions. When that’s the case, they will describe your prose as clear and direct.”
“Readers think you write clearly when you use no more words than necessary to say what you mean.”
“Write unto others what you would have others write unto you.”
I highly recommended it to all writers and editors.
Content: There is a page where he discusses a sentence taken from a newspaper that talks about prostitutes. There’s just one or two words that need to be whited out to make the sentence completely clean, however.
June 2, 2024
In my short lifetime of 23 or 24 years, I’ve read various grammar books and booklets, but this is the first that I’ve encountered one that is easy to read, understand, and even enjoy. Style: The Basics of Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams was a joy to read. I could hardly put it down at times. The language was clear, and his examples and explanations were easy to follow and comprehend. The only problem that I encountered while reading this booklet was a personal one, which was trying to commit all the tips to memory and employ them in my own writing. But such a thing is difficult to do and requires practice.
...Williams’s little book is not only for writers, but for readers as well. I am a believer that readers will gain as much insight as writers if they should read a grammar book and Style proved this to be true. In Style, Williams takes us through various lessons by using the technique of “close reading” — reading between the lines, considering what is implied by what the author does or doesn’t say. Also, a grammar book helps readers by causing them to consider the language the author uses and how he employs it in his work.
All around, Style is a great grammar book that all (students, writers, readers, and children of the technology-era) should read.
As posted on Zezee with Books.
...Williams’s little book is not only for writers, but for readers as well. I am a believer that readers will gain as much insight as writers if they should read a grammar book and Style proved this to be true. In Style, Williams takes us through various lessons by using the technique of “close reading” — reading between the lines, considering what is implied by what the author does or doesn’t say. Also, a grammar book helps readers by causing them to consider the language the author uses and how he employs it in his work.
All around, Style is a great grammar book that all (students, writers, readers, and children of the technology-era) should read.
As posted on Zezee with Books.
April 10, 2018
I am a Spanish native speaker that learned how to chew some words in English rather than formally took classes in a language school: that's on life, true; but is not an excuse to conduct me incorrectly using English as my professional language: that's on me.
I've got the recommendation of this volume from my Ph.D. advisor.
Might sound trite, but because of he is neither a native English speaker, he had understood the power of written expression in conveying an idea, more importantly when it is not in your first language.
I have understood shape, correctness, and clarity through the 150 pages of this title. It will make a difference for all texts I'll have to write further from now. The principles are concise, clear and extend enough to put them into practice right away.
Of course, elegance and grace will come with time and practice. Though, as an introduction to writing, I am more than satisfied.
I've got the recommendation of this volume from my Ph.D. advisor.
Might sound trite, but because of he is neither a native English speaker, he had understood the power of written expression in conveying an idea, more importantly when it is not in your first language.
I have understood shape, correctness, and clarity through the 150 pages of this title. It will make a difference for all texts I'll have to write further from now. The principles are concise, clear and extend enough to put them into practice right away.
Of course, elegance and grace will come with time and practice. Though, as an introduction to writing, I am more than satisfied.
April 15, 2013
I'm so happy I met this book.
In contrast to many writing guides, it does not offer any pedestrian advice on common mistakes such as its/it's or affect/effect, it does not overuse jargon, and it does not digress from its purpose. It provides clear, step-by-step instructions for writing tighter sentences and more coherent paragraphs.
A lot of stuff I read in grad school is so dense and cluttered that it is barely comprehensible, so I'm glad that there is a book on how to write sentences that are sophisticated AND clear at the same time.
In contrast to many writing guides, it does not offer any pedestrian advice on common mistakes such as its/it's or affect/effect, it does not overuse jargon, and it does not digress from its purpose. It provides clear, step-by-step instructions for writing tighter sentences and more coherent paragraphs.
A lot of stuff I read in grad school is so dense and cluttered that it is barely comprehensible, so I'm glad that there is a book on how to write sentences that are sophisticated AND clear at the same time.
July 18, 2008
I fell in love with the way that Williams debunked the invented rules that grammarians use to bludgeon writers and rant about the death of the English language. I don't agree with everything he said, but his book is the first style manual I've ever read that I would have no qualms about suggesting to others.
November 6, 2016
We used this book in one of our editing courses this year, and honestly it was phenomenal. Everything was broken down and explained really well, and I learned a lot about writing in English that subconsciously I knew as a fluent speaker and writer, but hadn't consciously recognized. It's changed how I write and organize my papers in my other courses this year!
January 6, 2009
Joe Williams knows what he is talking about. His rhetorical analysis toward the end of the book was extremely interesting and gave me new insights into how historical figures write.
June 11, 2015
You better read this here book if you wanna write real good like
September 8, 2016
The information in the book is excellent. As a writer, I might use it for occasional reference, but trying to read it was painful and unrewarding.
December 18, 2024
I’ve read the book a few times. I like how it uses examples to illustrate guiding principles for writing. The authors often use contrasting examples to show how the same sentences/paragraphs can be improved, and they explain where the improvement comes from. I particularly like the last few chapters on shape and elegance. Besides the objective functions of writing, there are also styles of writing. Writing is art, thus it reflects tastes. Like anything other work, there is craftsmanship in writing. That’s what I am hoping to master. I think books like this should be introduced early in education. But it’s not clear at which point students should start reading this book. They might not be ready to appreciate this book if they have not struggled enough with good writing. I think readers can benefits from good exercises that are designed to implement the principles.
November 16, 2025
never thought that i would enjoy reading a writing guide, but very pleasantly surprised! williams really got me to think about my writing in ways i have never even kind of considered before and gives great tips on what to look out for. i also really appreciate that he follows his own advice throughout which makes his advice even clearer. i think anyone who wants to get better at writing or wants to be more clear in their writing would benefit greatly from reading this.
shoutout to my writing studies professor for assigning this!
shoutout to my writing studies professor for assigning this!
November 14, 2022
I read a different edition of this book years ago and loved it. I wanted to revisit the book and bought my own edition. It is still amazing! I have been using it in my technical writing class, and my students seem to also like it.
This is one of my favorite style guides.
This is one of my favorite style guides.
February 6, 2023
Definitely a lot of information that both writers and editors could use in their daily lives. I picked up a lot of clues, advice, and craft rules that I had no idea existed, let alone could actually define.
March 31, 2023
I don’t enjoy books about writing. This one was not an exception to that rule—but it is a good book. Many of the lessons about writing the authors set forward are also applicable in good speaking and preaching.
May 1, 2024
Not the most ✨ riveting ✨ read, that’s for sure. 😅 I read this for a class, and I think it is a helpful accompaniment for academic writing. Seems that it would be better read and applied in chunks alongside a writing project, rather than reading all at once. 😅
August 6, 2014
Williams starts strong in his first chapter when he breaks English usage into three categories: Real rules (e.g., articles precede nouns); rules that distinguish standard dialect from non-standard (which is preferable to "correct," "incorrect"), and rules that Williams calls “folklore.” The latter is where he says we need to relax. There can and should be flexibility and creativity here.
Williams uses many boxes and diagrams that were difficult to decipher. His jargon (e.g., resumptive modifiers, summative modifiers, free modifiers) at times was thick. His discussion in Chapter Three on nominalization was challenging, as might be gathered by the use of this word. His opening Chapter Four quote, “When character is lost, all is lost,” is about the quality of a person and seems unrelated to the chapter’s title,“Characters,” which is about turning subjects into tangible characters, as actors. His Chapter Ten quote from Bertrand Russell made no sense after several readings; I don’t know what Russell was saying. This was after the Williams’ discussion on clarity.
The chapter on the ethics of writing was good. One of the examples is from a company defending its actions. While it is masterfully written, it is self-serving and misleading. Williams then compares that to Jefferson’s language in the Declaration of Independence, which was equally masterful and manipulative. This raises an interesting question about why manipulation in the latter is o.k. while the former is not. In a third example, Williams goes off track. He uses a utility’s letter announcing a rate increase as an example of how language masks intent. Williams rewrote the paragraph to say how he, the customer-consumer, gets harmed. But he left out the utility’s central point in its letter – that the increased rate was due to the increased cost of providing services.
Overall, the clarity and grace in this book is spotty.
Williams uses many boxes and diagrams that were difficult to decipher. His jargon (e.g., resumptive modifiers, summative modifiers, free modifiers) at times was thick. His discussion in Chapter Three on nominalization was challenging, as might be gathered by the use of this word. His opening Chapter Four quote, “When character is lost, all is lost,” is about the quality of a person and seems unrelated to the chapter’s title,“Characters,” which is about turning subjects into tangible characters, as actors. His Chapter Ten quote from Bertrand Russell made no sense after several readings; I don’t know what Russell was saying. This was after the Williams’ discussion on clarity.
The chapter on the ethics of writing was good. One of the examples is from a company defending its actions. While it is masterfully written, it is self-serving and misleading. Williams then compares that to Jefferson’s language in the Declaration of Independence, which was equally masterful and manipulative. This raises an interesting question about why manipulation in the latter is o.k. while the former is not. In a third example, Williams goes off track. He uses a utility’s letter announcing a rate increase as an example of how language masks intent. Williams rewrote the paragraph to say how he, the customer-consumer, gets harmed. But he left out the utility’s central point in its letter – that the increased rate was due to the increased cost of providing services.
Overall, the clarity and grace in this book is spotty.
September 22, 2015
Most books about writing that I have encountered are a pleasure to read. This one was not (at least, not until the end). But that is because this one is about the mechanics of writing, and more specifically the mechanics of revision - turning your clunky first drafts into clear, coherent, and even elegant prose. It's not as fun to read three versions of the same sentence structured different ways as it is to read about the creative process - but both will help you become a better writer. Which is why this book is worth your time, even if it's not as much fun to read as some of the others.
January 8, 2018
This book is just wonderful. Very accessible, concise, insightful, and full of apt examples (both of good and bad writing). Williams briefly touches on some of the more common suggestions for writing clearly (e.g. topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph), but the bulk of the book is full of observations and tips I have not heard of before but which, upon reflection, are absolutely correct. Most of us can intuit whether a sentence or paragraph is not elegant, but few of us can articulate why. This book helps answer that question.
July 31, 2018
Full of good practical advice. I regret getting this from the library because it is a fantastic tool to sculpt clear and elegant writing. I hope to buy a copy and revisit some of the exercises.
There are some brilliant teaching moves in each section. For example, the authors will incarnate the techniques they are explaining into their explanation and occasionally say something like “like what is done in this paragraph”. The occasional call-outs not only make you re-examine the explanation but also keep you looking for where the incarnations are hidden.
There are some brilliant teaching moves in each section. For example, the authors will incarnate the techniques they are explaining into their explanation and occasionally say something like “like what is done in this paragraph”. The occasional call-outs not only make you re-examine the explanation but also keep you looking for where the incarnations are hidden.
May 3, 2020
2.5 Stars
Working with this book has given me two things to pass on:
1) You only need to read the text boxes (highlighted in grey), and only if you need it, a few examples. Everything else seems to be too much work. Then again, it will and can help those that seek to further their craft.
2) This book is overpriced for what it is and how much it offers (physical dimensions of the book included).
Working with this book has given me two things to pass on:
1) You only need to read the text boxes (highlighted in grey), and only if you need it, a few examples. Everything else seems to be too much work. Then again, it will and can help those that seek to further their craft.
2) This book is overpriced for what it is and how much it offers (physical dimensions of the book included).
June 5, 2012
A concise guide to writing well. However, I felt that some passages made grammar rules more confusing rather than helped to explain them. For example, the author's use of the word "characters" in place of the more conventional "subjects."
September 25, 2020
Who wants to write for a living
To tell the truth when another author recommend this book. I was kind of reluctant to buy and read the book but since I did I am glad I did. If you have a teenager interested in writing get this book for them and let them read it.
To tell the truth when another author recommend this book. I was kind of reluctant to buy and read the book but since I did I am glad I did. If you have a teenager interested in writing get this book for them and let them read it.
didn-t-finish-might-still
January 4, 2009abandoned. will finish later.
July 21, 2010
Best little book on writing ever!
June 20, 2010
My favorite book on writing.
August 10, 2016
A very useful guide to concise sentences. A bit dry, but it does the job and does it well.
December 2, 2013
Some really fantastic information, but written in such a way that it could benefit from its own advice on clarity, concision, and coherence.
September 1, 2016
Very good and deceptively deep book on writing well.
September 27, 2014
Read some of it for my professional writing course. Helped a little with grammar but never touched on it in class. Liked the exercises a bit.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews