The Work of Writing: Insights and Strategies for Academics and Professionals,   ISBN:9780787956790

Customer Rating: 

Helpful text describing the insights and key strategies to use when writing professional and technical non-fiction. Topics such as: defining you contribution (selecting a topic); determining your audience; and selecting a voice. The author describes each topic in an easily understandable manner through the eyes of her reading groups. At the end of each section are tips on how to apply each lesson in a reading group and also to solo writers. Additionally, several ideas are presented on how to avoid and break through the dreaded "writer's block".

The author clearly demonstrates through numerous examples that most writing problems can be resolved by stepping back and re-examining your purpose, audience, and voice. This is most easily accomplished either by giving yourself some distance (time) or through the use of friends and writing groups. I recommend this book for anyone tasked with writing professional and technical non-fiction, especially for those transitioning from dissertations or thesis work to journals and articles.

Customer Rating: 

This short book (less than 100 pages) gives basic principles for those who would publish. But these principles pertain to other forms of communication as well. The author draws from her positive experience with writing groups.