Writing that Matters offers practical guidance for becoming a more confident writer. From fundamentals and style to structure and lessons from master writers, you will develop skills that will serve you throughout your academic journey.
This compelling guide is an invaluable companion to Reading Literature and Thinking through Words. Robert DiYanni helps readers hone their craft, solidifying knowledge, and discovering new skills. Part I deals with fundamentals and considers what writing is in its essence: a way to think and to learn; a series of processes; and a way to develop the habit of writing—regular writing for practical purposes, including writing from reading. Parts II and III focus on style and structure with lots of expert analysis and practical exercises. Part IV reveals how to take your writing to the next level through learning important lessons from some of the best of teachers—master writers who continue to produce entertaining and thought-provoking work.
Throughout the book, readers have opportunities to develop their ability and take pleasure in the progress they make using language to clarify their thinking and explain it to others. It provides students with expert guidance for analyzing and interpreting works of art, literature, and music.
Table of Contents:
Preface
PART I: ESSENTIALS
Chapter 1. Writing to Learn
Writing and Learning
Writing Sentences, Writing Paragraphs
Sentences—Beginning with Thinking
Paragraphs—Developing Your Thinking
Final Thoughts
Applications and Considerations
Chapter 2. The Habit of Writing
Motivations for Writing
10 Obstacles to Writing
10 Strategies for Developing the Habit of Writing
Connecting Reading and Writing
The Need for Feedback
Applications and Considerations
Chapter 3. Writing from Reading
Annotating
Freewriting
Using a Double-Column Notebook
Summarizing
Summary
Applications and Considerations
Chapter 4. The Writing Process
Pre-writing—Thinking and Planning
Drafting
Revising
Three Aspects of Revising
Editing and Proofreading
Impediments to Writing
Applications and Considerations
PART II: STYLE
Chapter 5. Words
General and Specific, Abstract and Concrete
Clichés
Colloquialisms
Slang
Jargon
Euphemisms
English Borrowings from Other Languages
Etymology
Denotation and Connotation
Loaded Words
The Power of Words: Connotation in Action
The Prevalence of Metaphor
Metaphor and Meaning
Metaphor and Ideas
Metaphor and Politics
Applications and Considerations
Chapter 6. Sentences and Punctuation
The Cumulative Sentence
The Periodic Sentence
The Parallel and Antithetical Sentence
The Inverted Sentence
The Interrupting Sentence
The Fragmentary Sentence
The Questioning Sentence
Sentence Length
Sentence Variety
Emphasis
Punctuation and the Sentence
Colon and Semicolon
Dash
Double Dash and Parentheses
Applications and Considerations
Chapter 7. Paragraphs
Unity and Coherence
Paragraph Organization
Time and Space
Importance and Climax
Combining Paragraphs—Unity and Coherence
Notes on Style and Structure
Further Notes on Thought
Applications and Considerations
PART III: STRUCTURE
Chapter 8. Aspects of Form
Two-Part Forms
Before-After
Problem-Solution
Three-Part Forms
Revision and Form
Form in Nature and Art
Applications and Considerations
Chapter 9. Modes of Discourse
Description
Narration
Argumentation
Guidelines for Constructing an Argument
Anticipating Objections
Making Concessions
The Modes of Discourse Combined
Applications and Considerations
Chapter 10. Patterns of Exposition
Definition
Illustration (Exemplification)
Enumeration
Process Analysis
Comparison and Contrast
Confucianism and Taoism
Classification
Cause and Effect Analysis
Applications and Considerations
PART IV: MASTERY
Chapter 11. Master Class
Key Elements of Close Reading
Leslie Jamison
Close Reading
Style, Structure, and Substance in "A Street Full of Splendid Strangers"
Style
Diction
Syntax
Figurative Language and Allusion
Structure
Substance—Thought
Chapter 12. Writing with the Masters
Writing with George Orwell and Annie Dillard
Orwell
Dillard
Writing with Adrienne Rich and E. B. White
Adrienne Rich
White
Writing with Toni Morrison and Maxine Hong Kingston
Morrison
Kingston
Writing with John McPhee and Jhumpa Lahiri
McPhee
Lahiri
Writing with George Saunders and Mary Karr
Saunders
Karr
Writing with Zadie Smith and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Zadie Smith
Adichie
Appendix: Thinking, Writing, and AI
References
Index
About the Author :
Robert DiYanni is Professor of Humanities at New York University, USA, where he serves on the faculties of the School of Professional Studies and the Stern School of Business, following a decade in the College of Arts and Science. His publications include The Pearson Guide to Critical and Creative Thinking (2014), Critical and Creative Thinking: A Brief Guide for Teachers (2015), and Critical Reading Across the Curriculum (with Anton Borst; 2017). His co-authored Scribner Handbook for Writers went through four editions, and his Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay went through six.
