Cover image for Getting the words right : 39 ways to improve your writing
Getting the words right : 39 ways to improve your writing
Title:
Getting the words right : 39 ways to improve your writing
Author:
Cheney, Theodore A. Rees (Theodore Albert Rees), 1928-
ISBN:
9781582973586
Edition:
2nd ed.
Publication Information:
Cincinnati, Ohio : Writer's Digest Books, c2005.
Physical Description:
248 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
Contents:
Shorten or remove whole chapters, sections, and paragraphs -- Shorten or remove superfluous, ineffective, or redundant sentences and words -- Replace longer words with shorter ones -- Keep unity of subject and scope -- Keep a unified tone -- Keep a unified style -- Keep a consistent point of view and unity of character -- Keep episodes unified -- Keep verb tenses consistent -- Keep paragraphs and sentences to the point and unified -- Organize according to the logic of time, space, and degree of specificity -- Avoid pronoun ambiguity -- Use coherent word order and phrasing -- Use parallel structure -- Make effective transitions -- Establish coherent beginnings -- Develop consistency through the middle -- Write effective and coherent endings -- Put the parts into the right proportions -- Put important things anywhere but in the middle -- Understand the psychology of emphasis -- Use effective repetition of words, phrases, sounds, and ideas -- Vary the length of sentences, paragraphs, and chapters -- Emphasize through careful word choice and positioning -- Use spaces, pauses, and special typography for extra emphasis -- Avoid things that kill emphasis -- Develop and recognize your own special style -- Select the best word, best phrasing, most effective diction -- Improve your diction with shorter, more active words -- Scrutinize your verbs; keep them active -- Limit modifiers -- Appeal to the senses -- Use concrete details -- Be sensitive to rhythm and sound -- Use the sounds of words, and use words to imitate sounds -- Use figurative language -- Watch out for misuse of figurative language -- Avoid distractors and detractors -- Watch for common misspellings and incorrect usages.
Electronic Access:
Table of contents http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ecip056/2005000595.html
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