NEW OXF GUIDE TO WRITING P

by Thomas S. Kane

Many books on writing tell you how to think more creatively, how to conjure up an idea from scratch. Many, once you have an idea, show you how to express it clearly and elegantly. And many handbooks offer reliable advice on the use of commas, semicolons, and so forth. But The New Oxford Guide to Writing does all three, so that no matter where you find yourself in the writing process--from the daunting look of a blank page, to the rough draft that needs shaping, to the small but important questions of punctuation--you will find what you need in one handy volume.

Highlighted by numerous examples of successful prose--including marvelous, brief excerpts from Mark Twain, Joan Didion, H.L. Mencken, E.B. White, and Annie Dillard--this stimulating volume covers the entire subject step-by-step, clearly and authoritatively.

Whether you write for business or for pleasure, whether you are a beginner or an experienced pro, The New Oxford Guide to Writing is an essential addition to your reference library, providing abundant assistance and encouragement to write with more clarity, more color, and more force.

Genres: Writing, Reference, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism

336 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1988

Reviews

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought about writing an expository essay for my review, but the challenge seemed too ambitious. I said to myself, “How could one such as I—someone with little to no expertise—properly convey the power of effective writing? Should I, perhaps, contrast a well-written sentence with a badly written one; a rhythmic, balanced, clearly structured sentence with—dear me!—a poor choice of a fragment?” Eh, that’s about all the effort I have in me.

This guide to writing is an excellent reference book for anyone interested in becoming a better writer. When you think about it, writing is about conveying a message without all the body language, facial expressions, and sound we get from communicating in person. This guide shows you that the rules and techniques for organization and structure are all about clearly signaling your intended message to the reader. Furthermore, when you are conscious of your audience, you can be purposeful with your tone and choices.

This guide provides clear explanations, examples, and helpful exercises to improve and understand the process of effective writing. I’ve certainly learned a lot, and I intend to keep practicing.

[Avalon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great Book on how to right a good essay.

[Liping Liang · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the second version that I read.
It's very useful for improving my writing. I've learned so much from this book.
It's a great book that is worth reading at least twice.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good 'bible' for writers.

[Marian T. Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the different styles

[Carl Gladish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was full of sensible and just-novel-enough material to be a really enjoyable read. I kept reading a chapter and finding myself burning to edit some chunk of the essay I've been working on. Like fixing the rhythm in my closing sentences, or changing the main verb of a sentence to an actual action instead of a variant of "to be".

[Will Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very technical, rather dry book on writing. I found the first part on research helpful. The rest of the book, while helpful, was rather weighed down by the technicalities of different types of sentences, etc. This is not a book you read for enjoyment. This is a book you reference as needed.

[Willa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[Ame · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great guide to writing, the best I've read

[Jay P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of how to organize a writing project.

[excalibur1974 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book, but too detailed for my basic needs. I find the summary grammar books more useful, whereas this is aimed at people writing essays.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightfully written work with engaging style and insightful exercises. Interspersed with excellent quotations and explanations. Irreplaceable.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good innit