Writing Well: The Essential Guide

Writing Well is a guide to expressive creative writing and effective professional prose. The author, a poet, writer, editor and teacher, explains the techniques required for stylish and readable writing. Everyone who wants to improve their writing can benefit from this book, which describes how to: • identify topics that inspire you to write • get into the habit of writing regularly • develop ideas • construct effective arguments • choose words for maximum effect • use grammar correctly • structure sentences and paragraphs appropriately • write with integrity The book is enriched by examples from great modern writers, and includes a variety of exercises and suggestions for writing activities. Mark Tredinnick practises what he preaches, making his book highly enjoyable as well as technically instructive.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments; Stepping out: a prologue on diction, structure, magic and democracy; 1. Lore: on voice, music, care and thrift; 2. Sentencing: on the craft of the sentence; 3. Grace: on style, economy and poise; 4. Poetics: on creative writing; 5. Attitude: on manners and your reader; 6. Shapely thoughts: on thought, planning, structure and paragraphs; Amen: an epilogue on beauty, honesty and civility; Further reading.

About the Author :
Mark Tredinnick is a poet, essayist and writing teacher. His books include The Land's Wild Music (2005) and A Place on Earth (2003). He runs acclaimed writing programmes at the University of Sydney and at writers' centres in Australia and the USA.

Review :
'Most writing advice is fatuous, coma-inducing, stuffed-shirtish, elephantine, and utterly useless. Mark's is funny, pointed, lean, friendly, and useful. It matters. It's fun to read. It made me jump up and run to the typewriter and tell tall tales as fast as my fingers would fly.' Brian Doyle, author of Thirsty for the Joy: Australian & American Voices 'Mark Tredinnick has written the perfect, practical 'how to' book on writing well ... This is a writing book that entices and empowers the reader/writer rather than making the creative process daunting.' Laurie Kutchins, James Madison University Reviews of the Australian edition entitled The Little Red Writing Book: 'Reading Tredinnick's volume was for me like discovering El Dorado after a five-year quest to find a suitable book about writing for my journalism students. Although The Little Red Writing Book is not targeted specifically towards the journalism genre, it contains an original approach to writing that makes it achievable for all - and that is its brilliance.' Scott Downman, Text 'Reading this little book will inspire you to want to become a writer ... You will definitely want to read The Little Red Writing Book if you aspire to write better than your colleagues. I will be recommending it to all my online writing students. Anyone who writes for a living will benefit from reading this book and applying its many examples.' Graham Andrews, The Write Approach 'Good writing says something very honest, very clearly. It's partly a matter of technique, but mostly a matter of courage. Mark Tredinnick's book is great on sentences, paragraphs, and practice - but its brilliance lies in its ability to inspire, and its exhortation to be brave.' Anna Funder, author of Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall '... at the end of some of his chapters, I wanted to stand up and applaud him ... Tredinnick's ... is the James Bond school of pedantry: elegant and enviably cool.' Danielle Wood, Island 'Reading this book is the next best thing to participating in a workshop taught by one of the wisest, most gifted and ingenious writing teachers you could hope to find - precisely what Mark Tredinnick is.' Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto