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Thinking Like a Writer: A Lawyer's Guide to Effective Writing and Editing
Incorporating the useful suggestions of attorneys who relied on the previous edition, the new Third Edition of Thinking Like a Writer gives you the specialized knowledge and techniques to draft clear and compelling legal documents - no matter how complicated the issues involved. Hailed as "the best book ever written on legal writing" by practicing attorney and former Marine Corps Staff Judge Advocate Theodore Hess, Thinking Like a Writer includes exercises, examples, and highlighted drafting do's and don'ts to help you to: . Craft introductions that activate readers' minds from the start.. Develop a writing persona that's credible, professional, and engaging.. Write strong, streamlined sentences that bring subjects into clear focus.. Create logically-linked paragraphs that carry readers forward smoothly.. Break up information stylistically and graphically to enhance comprehension.. Use syntax, verbs, and varied sentence lengths to keep readers' attention.. Instill writing with added grace, energy, character, and imagination.. Communicate directly with different audiences, including clients, associates, senior lawyers, and judges.. Identify drafting problems, understand their causes, and find the right editorial solutions.Thinking Like a Writer shows you how to blend reason and emotion, detail and simplicity, and concrete language and metaphors to ensure that your legal writing does full justice to your legal thinking
427 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 27, 2012
The tips were pretty good. And it's very hard to teach micro-level writing.
The problem is that all the examples are like big blockquotes, which, as the book itself explains, people are preidsposed to skip.
This would be a great class, but it's a pretty good book.
The problem is that all the examples are like big blockquotes, which, as the book itself explains, people are preidsposed to skip.
This would be a great class, but it's a pretty good book.
September 28, 2025
Keep rereading this book over and over. It becomes a lens through which I see and analyze every piece of good writing with awe and wonder. And they say we need drugs for life-altering experiences.
Witty, clever, to the point. Style, substance, metacognition. Cognitive psychology + rhetoric. Def the most important piece of writing one can possibly come across in their lifetime.
Extra important if u are a banker who needs to do deals with internal and external lawyers. It is really, really helpful when the author spells out the underlying thought process for u.
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This book reads like heaven. If I could give it 10 stars, I absolutely would. Omg
Witty, clever, to the point. Style, substance, metacognition. Cognitive psychology + rhetoric. Def the most important piece of writing one can possibly come across in their lifetime.
Extra important if u are a banker who needs to do deals with internal and external lawyers. It is really, really helpful when the author spells out the underlying thought process for u.
—-
This book reads like heaven. If I could give it 10 stars, I absolutely would. Omg
June 25, 2015
4.5 - one of the best of its kind.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews