Book Description
To succeed in technical writing, you need a lot more than just writing ability. Technical Writing 101 details the skills you need as a technical writer, and it explains how to handle the pressures of tight deadlines and ever-changing product specifications. This valuable reference also describes the entire documentation process—planning, writing, editing, indexing, and production.
This updated second edition features the latest information on single sourcing and a new chapter on how trends in structured authoring and Extensible Markup Language (XML) affect technical writers.
Customer Reviews:
Straightforward and clear.......2007-06-08
I thought this book was exactly what it said it was: a 101-level focus on technical writing. From the skills required by a good writer, to a technical writing process, to the task-oriented focus of user guides, this book covered all the basics, and was even written with a sense of humor. I am purchasing this for my technical publications department, because I think it's good to review the basics as a team, and there are specific topics that are newer to the team, such as how to write for globalization.
A one-time read for beginners.......2007-04-20
This book provides a good overview for those considering a technical writing career. It may also be helpful for engineers and others who work with technical writers or who want basic ideas for preparing documentation. The chatty, breezy writing style makes the book an easy read. But the lack of in-depth information and its focus only on documentation and online help projects limits the book's usefulness as a daily work reference.
Technical Writing 101: A Real-World Guide to Planning and Writing Technical Documentation, Second Edition.......2007-01-29
We received the Manual to help in Associate training. Shipment came in very quickly. We will definitely be ordering from Amazon more in the future, your service has been impeccable!!
Thank you.
Technical Writing.......2006-07-09
This book is very easy to read and understand. I ordered this book as a supplement to my current book used at my school. I would highly recommend this book to other new technical writers.
Practical and Educational.......2004-09-18
As the title mentions, Technical Writing 101, provides real-world planning tips. I found it to be very engaging, informative and very easy to read (finished within 24 hours of receiving it). It also sparked ideas on how I could look at a lot of projects I'm personally working on. The way the book is organized doesn't overload you with "too" much information. It also is very generous in providing other resources for further research and knowledge.
I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to get a good understanding of the technical writing process.
Book Description
Song is an enthralling compilation of songwriting wisdom from 100 of the biggest names in music. From country to rock to folk to alternative, this genre-spanning collection of interviews captures the anecdotes, history, and wisdom of the best songwriters aroundInside, you'll find entertaining and enlightening interviews from great songwriters such as Smokey Robinson, Willie Nelson, Jewel, Kenny Chesney, Cat Stevens, Jack Johnson, Sheryl Crow, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Ray Charles, Clint Black, Rob Thomas, Dolly Parton, Rufus Wainwright, Bob McDill, Lyle Lovett, Keith Urban, Beck, M.Ward, Lou Reed, Roger Miller, Grant-Lee Phillips, and John Denver.
Book Description
Expert tips and 300 sample letters make business and personal correspondence a snap.
When trying to close a sale, answer a complaint, or offer thanks, a well-crafted letter can make all the difference. Packed with practical advice and 300 easy-to-adapt sample letters, this all-purpose guide shows readers how to write letters that get results -at work and at home.
Covering the nuts-and-bolts of letter writing as well as the secrets of high-impact prose, the book delivers proven recipes for attention-grabbing introductions, persuasive arguments, memorable phrases, and closing clinchers. Best of all, it offers guidance on business and personal letters for every circumstance, from job hunting, selling, fundraising, and asking favors to giving a reprimand, responding to criticism, expressing sympathy, and declining gracefully. It's the only reference anyone will ever need to write the perfect letter, whatever the occasion.
Download Description
Expert tips and 300 sample letters make business and personal correspondence a snap.
When trying to close a sale, answer a complaint, or offer thanks, a well-crafted letter can make all the difference. Packed with practical advice and 300 easy-to-adapt sample letters, this all-purpose guide shows readers how to write letters that get results -at work and at home.
Covering the nuts-and-bolts of letter writing as well as the secrets of high-impact prose, the book delivers proven recipes for attention-grabbing introductions, persuasive arguments, memorable phrases, and closing clinchers. Best of all, it offers guidance on business and personal letters for every circumstance, from job hunting, selling, fundraising, and asking favors to giving a reprimand, responding to criticism, expressing sympathy, and declining gracefully. It's the only reference anyone will ever need to write the perfect letter, whatever the occasion.
Customer Reviews:
Webster's New World Letter Writing Handbook.......2006-02-26
This is an excellent book to have on hand if you are a frequent letter writer. I've learned valuable information just by skimming through the book. I recommend this book to anyone looking for information on how to correctly write a letter.
Great Aid for Those Who Hate to Write Letters.......2004-01-30
Bob Bly is well known in freelancing and copywriting circles, but his abilities probably aren't as well known outside those arenas. This book might just make him known to the average person or at least to the average business person (who in my experince usually hates having to write letters).
Bly offers tips on writing letters of all types and includes some 300 samples of business and personal correspondence easily used and adapted by the individual to suit their own purposes.
The book is particularly helpful for business people who may be trying to close a sale, answer a complaint, offer a product or service, or offer thanks.
Bly covers the nuts-and-bolts of letter writing as well as persuasive writing techniques. The book is filled with proven styles for attention-grabbing introductions, persuasive arguments, memorable phrases, and strong closings. It covers a wide gamut of types of letters, ranging from job hunting, sales, and fundraising to responding to criticism, expressing sympathy, and declining an offer.
If you hate having to write letters, whether for personal or business purposes, this book needs to be sitting on your shelf.
Book Description
A comprehensive, step-by-step guide to grant writing
Webster's New World Grant Writing Handbook walks readers through every step of the grant writing process-from defining the project and getting and interpreting a foundation's guidelines to submitting and following up on the grant application. With clear, concise explanations, thorough coverage, illustrative examples, and expert advice, this helpful, complete resource gives grant writers all the information and guidance they need to succeed.
Sara Deming Wason (Syracuse, NY) holds a master's degree in nonprofit management from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Wason has over 20 years' experience in nonprofit administration, including the last 10 years in higher education development. She is currently Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Syracuse University where she is responsible for corporate foundation fundraising.
Download Description
P>A comprehensive, step-by-step guide to grant writing
Webster's New World Grant Writing Handbook walks readers through every step of the grant writing process-from defining the project and getting and interpreting a foundation's guidelines to submitting and following up on the grant application. With clear, concise explanations, thorough coverage, illustrative examples, and expert advice, this helpful, complete resource gives grant writers all the information and guidance they need to succeed.
Sara Deming Wason (Syracuse, NY) holds a master's degree in nonprofit management from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Wason has over 20 years' experience in nonprofit administration, including the last 10 years in higher education development. She is currently Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Syracuse University where she is responsible for corporate foundation fundraising.
Customer Reviews:
Helpful Grant Writing Handbook.......2007-03-09
I bought this book for a class and had never written a grant before. I also knew absolutely nothing about the world of grant writing. Because of this book, I was able to produce a quality grant. Wason's instructions are clear and easy to follow. The examples provided offer good examples of what to do. It would have been nice to see examples of what not to do as well.
Book Description
In this THOMSON ADVANTAGE BOOKS low-cost version of HOW TO WRITE FOR THE WORLD OF WORK, you'll explore the latest developments in technical communication and business, including the importance of emerging technologies, global communications, and usability testing.
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2007-01-09
I had to buy this book as part of a college course curriculum.
This is a great book for someone who is looking to beef up their business writing skills. I really like it as a 'reference' manual. It shows examples of how to write and communicate in the business world, basically what to and what not to say and do.
It is also easy to read and understand, which is a big plus for an educational literary work.
Book Description
Niall Murtagh spent years as a world traveler—hitchhiking in Istanbul, trekking in Patagonia, crossing the Atlantic in a home-built yacht. In 1986, he closed the door on his life of adventure to settle in Japan. And then, in a breathtaking transition, he joined Mitsubishi as a "Salaryman"—a guy in a shiny suit with a shiny attaché case in a multinational corporation with 100,000 employees. What led to this extraordinary shift of direction, and why, despite the disillusionment, is it so hard to leave? In
The Blue-Eyed Salaryman, Murtagh takes the reader behind the scenes of this huge conglomerate. By turn enlightening, astonishing, and hilarious, his book offers a fresh perspective on the nature of Japanese business culture as well as the many hurdles awaiting the outsider.
Customer Reviews:
One of the best of its kind---worth your time!.......2006-09-17
Content is accurate, well-observed, and recounted with sensitivity and balance; happily, it's very well-written and flows beautifully. Certainly worthwhile reading for foreigners working with (or for) the Japanese. Hopefully, this work will appear in a Japanese edition as well, and I'll bet it would be a best-seller in Japan. Like the author, I have worked in a large Japanese company, married a Japanese national, and make my home in Japan.
Blue-eyed or Any-eyed Salaryman.......2006-09-02
Niall Murtagh is an Irishman who came to Japan to study the language. He ended up working for the Mitsubishi corporation for 14 years. Murtagh was a world traveler who did not stay in any one place for to long. So how is it he stayed with one company, a japanese company at that, for 14 years? This book attempts to answer that perplexing question. Though Murtagh has led a varied life, he devotes most of his book to his 14 years with the Mitsubishi Company as a Japanese kaishain, or salaryman.
Murtagh rose to a middle-manager position, almost unheard of for any gaijin (foreigner) in a Japanese corporation. He was always the only gaijin in the room. Because his Japanese was flawless he was always looked at askance. The Japanese feel that their language is to difficult for gaijin to learn let alone speak fluently. He tells of his daily commute to work on a bicycle, his unpaid overtime, company uniforms and he even the company song.
He says little of his personal life. His courtship and marriage to Miyuki is a good example of this. He sums up this chapter of his life by saying Miyuki's parents approved of their marriage because of his Mitsubishi credentials.
Murtagh keeps the story moving in a conversational style. He has an eye for the irony of the cultural differences between the west and the east.
I have a friend in Tokyo who is also a salaryman. I got this book for that reason. I wanted to see some of the things that he had to go through. He said that many of the experiences that Murtagh went through are quite common for a gaijin salaryman.
It is an entertaining book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has friends or family working in Japan. And for those of you who don't, it is still an interesting read to compare the cultures.
True & Entertaining .......2006-06-10
From the first opening sentence, this book is a page turner. The writer provides a simple but deep insight on working in a major Japanese company. The events presented are sometime caricatural, looks too bad/good to be true, but I can attest from my own experience they're quite real.
A must reading material for people thinking of working at a major traditional Japanese company.
Acurate and balanced.......2006-05-20
Niall Murtagh gives us an understanding of the real(hone) underbelly of Japanese corporate life. The book is well written entertaining and accurate. I have the same roots as the author and like him have endured 14 years in a large Japanese corporation. So I can verify his accuracy. He deals with the frustrating an oppressive aspects of salaryman Japan life in a very Irish way - he uses humour. He tries hard to fit-in but soon learns that foreigners, even Japanese fluent ones with a Phd., never fit in. or become totally accepted. He could have expanded on the psychological impact of salaryman life on foreigners. For those with a work link to Japan, read this book.
Excellent book for anybody working in a Japanese corporation in Japan (or thinking about it).......2005-10-27
"The Blue-eyed Salaryman" is a book written by Niall Murtagh, an Irishman, and is based on his real life experience as a salaryman at Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan.
The story starts when he joins the R&D department at Mitsubishi in the early 1990. At the beginning he was a contract worker, but eventually he became a normal lifetime salaryman. He was also the first foreigner to be promoted to management level in Mitsubishi in Japan.
His book is very interesting, because it is based on his experience over a period of more than 10 years. So he really got to understand deeply about Mitsubishi's culture and way of working. He also experienced the end of the bubble area, and the following crisis years.
Later on, Murtagh-san was transferred to Osaka, which allowed him to compare between Osaka and Tokyo working culture. His finding was that people in Tokyo cared about big visionary research projects, whereas in Osaka all research needs to have a practical application to get accepted. He did enjoy living in the Osaka area, and eventually enjoyed working here.
The final conclusion of his book is that for foreigners, as change agents, it is not meaningful to join traditional Japanese companies from the bottom; because the only way to drive fundamental change in large Japanese traditional corporations is top down. According to Niall, Carlos Ghosn would never have been able to impact to Nissan if he had joined them from the bottom...
Working as a foreigner in a large Japanese corporation in Japan, I really identified strongly with Niall's writing. It gave me a sense of comfort, making me believe that I still haven't lost my common sense....
Book Description
Think of them as the tour-guide version of Patsy and Edina from Absolutely Fabulous-if those two ever were sober enough to write a book. Knowing that the agenda of the average gay or lesbian traveler is a bit different from that of Mom and Pop Smith from Des Moines, Jeffrey Epstein and Eddie Shapiro proffer a guide book to the Disney resorts that specifically caters to gay and lesbian readers. While sniping at each other only occasionally, they offer candid, informative and always-humorous opinions on everything from hotels and attractions to restaurants and shows. The writers also provide information about nearby theme parks and local gay life surrounding the Disney landscape. Additionally, the book boasts: "fairy facts," unique tidbits of trivia about every attraction in the parks; vital tips on how to make the most of your stay, such as which restaurants offer the best bang for your buck and how to avoid all the long lines; help on finding the parks' "gay goodies" like Ellen's Energy Adventure (starring none other than Ellen DeGeneres); and where to grab a kiss without feeling stared at. With additional commentary provided by gays and lesbians surveyed from across the country, there's something for everyone: singles, couples, parents with kids, singles looking to be coupled and couples looking to be single. Even people long-familiar with Disneyland and Walt Disney World will want to pick up this funny, irreverent and insightful look at how they, too, can experience family at America's family Mecca.
Jeffrey Epstein is a native of Newton, Massachusetts, who now lives in Los Angeles, California. The former West Coast Editor of Soap Opera Digest, he is now the Senior Editor of Out Magazine, and is one of the organizers of Gay Day at Disneyland.
Eddie Shapiro is the Event Manager for AIDS Walk New York. A former resident of Long Island, he now makes his home in New York City.
Customer Reviews:
A pleasant surprise - get this book!.......2007-10-24
I ordered this book with low hopes... I consider myself a bit of a Disney nerd, and have been visiting the parks since the one in Orlando opened back in the 70's. I've also read a number of guide books and searched out all sorts of "hidden disney secrets" from a variety of sources. I expected this book to be a rehash of all the usual tips and tricks with a few clever quips thrown in.
WOW - was I wrong... the book is a wealth of information, and is an incredibly entertaining read. By the end, you feel like you know the authors and are laughing right along with their jokes about each other.
Now I don't agree with all the opinions in the book -- e.g. they didn't rank "Soarin'" as the best ride at Epcot - whatever. And they prefer the "new and improved" Tiki Bird show at WDW vs the "classic" one at Disneyland. (I'm guessing they might be too young to appreciate the nostalgia of the classic version). And they seem to appreciate "Stitch" which is just blasphemy, although they do knock the ride for encouraging poor behavior in the younger Disney visitors. Thank goodness they showed the appropriate respect for "Carousel of Progress" which needs all the help it can get right now, poor ride.
But they've included lots of tips like details on restaurant menu's vs most of the guide books I have that just say "hamburgers and other fast food items." And their reviews of hotel rooms etc are spot on. (Though don't look to this book to cover the 100000 hotels nearby but not operated by Disney). And what other guide book lists the best places to, uh, well, steal a few moments of romance in the park (nowwwww I understand why the lines for the Haunted Mansion are so darn long).
If this is your first visit to WDW, I don't think this should be your only guide book - and can't imagine the authors advocating that. But this is a great supplement to another guide if you're a first-timer, or if you've already earned your stripes, this is probably all you need to see the park with from a different... and wonderful... (magical?) perspective.
It's cheaper than a pizza for goodness sake, order the book!
Very entertaining and informative guide!.......2007-08-19
We bought this book based on an article we read about Disney guide books. I'm so glad we did! It surpassed my expectations! Maybe I should say up front that I'm hetero, so I can't be a good judge on the information focusing on the best gay friendly clubs and hot spots. But as a Disney park fan, I'm a very good judge on that focus on the book. The writing style is very funny, including the quotes from other people, and I enjoyed how it speaks to the reader as an adult. Plus, even though I have been to Disney World 30 times and read a number of other books, QUEENS still gave me new information. That includes a way to save money on park tickets if you're someone who visits Disney often. Thanks, Jeffrey and Eddie! Like someone said, the maps are very simplistic, but this didn't bother me. I wasn't looking for that kind of thing; after all, I can get interactive ones and ones I can customize for us for free on disney.com, so it didn't affect my review. This is not a book to plan your day, telling you to go here, do this and then that, but an insight into rides, dining, and atmosphere. I've already recommended this book to my family and friends who are both gay and straight.
A lovely guide.......2007-07-25
While this book is aimed largely at the traveller with an 'alternative lifestyle', it also has plenty to offer an elderly couple. The detailed guide of the park's toilet facilities was far more exhaustive than in any other handbook I have read. The special toilet maps saved Doreen from embarassment on at least three occassions. Sadly, there were at least three other occassions when it failed to save her from embarassment, but the staff were understanding about the mess and treated her with dignity. I found it a little odd that the authors devoted more than half of the book to the lavatories, but their consideration is admirable. I was saddened to learn within that they were eventually booted out for trying to ignite a gigantic wicker-phallus to display during Mickey Mouse's parade. Is there no end to the intolerance of society? Anyway, I look forward to the forthcoming guide to Iran, where I hope they will find more acceptance.
PS. The recurring joke about 'taking the Mickey' (Oooh!!!) amused me more and more with every repetition.
A Genuinely Fun Read.......2007-06-26
I found this book to be plenty comprehensive, except where it says it isn't. But most of all, I found it to be funny, well written and a nice way to get the most out of visiting the parks as well as a pleasant reminder of what's so fun (and lame) about the parks, when you're not there... like, say, in Detroit for instance.
great guide for the gay community.......2007-05-21
This book is a joy to read, replete with info I find important as a frequent visitor to Disneyworld.We double income, no kids gays have the money and these guys are telling us how and where to spend it to get the most out of our Disney vacation.There's ratings on each and every resort, rides, restaurants etc. Highly recommended.
Amazon.com
"A foolish consistency," Emerson insisted, "is the hobgoblin of little minds." That may well be, but editors have enough reasons to reject your work; don't let sloppy inconsistencies be one of them. The New York Times Manual of Style & Usage was written for the paper's editors and writers, but it is a fine, up-to-date resource for anyone's use. Our language is ever-mutating, and a guide such as this will ensure that you understand the impact your words might have before they reach print. Should you use Native Americans or American Indians? Debark or disembark? Did you know that thermos is no longer a trademark, but that Popsicle and Dumpster are? Writing, when you get down to it, is nothing more than the careful choosing of words. This style book will ensure that you don't choose carat when you mean karat, jury-rigged when you want jerry-built, chow chow when chowchow is called for, or V-8 when you could have had a V8. A naysayer may bridle against the strictures of such a rule book, but the authors believe "the rules should encourage thinking, not discourage it." Plus, "a rule," they say, "can shield against untidiness in detail that might make readers doubt large facts." We'd call the book "user-friendly," but that, we've learned, can be downright "reader-tiresome." --Jane Steinberg
Book Description
For anyone who writes--a short story or a business plan, a book report or a news report--knotty choices of spelling, grammar, punctuation and word meaning lurk in every line: Lay or lie? Who or whom? None is or none are? Is touch-tone a trademark? Is Day-Glo? It's enough to send you for a Martini. (Or is that a martini?)
Now everyone can find answers in the handy alphabetical guide used by the thousand journalists of the world's most authoritative newspaper. The guidelines to correct hyphenation, punctuation, capitalization and foreign and English spelling are crisp and compact, created for instant reference in the rush of deadlines. Rewritten for the first time in twenty-three years and greatly expanded since the last edition, the manual tackles issues that will follow writers into the new century:
How to respect the equality of the sexes without self-conscious devices such as "he or she"
How to choose thoughtfully between terms like African-American and black; Hispanic and Latino; American Indian and Native American
How to translate the vocabulary of e-mail and cyberspace for everyday readers, and how to cope with the eccentric capitalization and punctuation of Internet company names and Web site addresses
The authors have more than seventy years of combined newsroom experience, most of it at The Times. They recognize that our language is changing, but they tailor their responses to the paper's impression of its readership: "educated and sophisticated . . . traditional but not tradition-bound."
They counsel a fluid style, easygoing but not slangy, the unpretentious language of a letter to a literate friend. They invite readers of the manual to be precise while casting off the stodgy (among dozens of examples, writing before instead of the pompous prior to, and carry out instead of implement).
The authors also offer a thumbnail guide to newsroom ethics and standards in their entries on anonymous sources, attribution, fairness and obscenity. And they seed the rules with wry humor. (On vogue words: "Wannabe is the faddish slang of adults who, well, want to be teenagers." And about the late: "Do not fall into this error: Only the late Senator Miel opposed the bill. He was almost certainly alive at the time.")
For writers, editors, students, researchers and all who love language,
The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage is an entertaining tool as well as an essential reference.
Download Description
For anyone who writes -- a short story or a business plan, a book report or a news report -- knotty choices of spelling, grammar, punctuation and word meaning lurk in every line: Lay or lie? Who or whom? None is or none are? Is touch-tone a trademark? Is Day-Glo? It's enough to send you for a Martini. (Or is that a martini?)
Now everyone can find answers in the handy alphabetical guide used by the thousand journalists of the world's most authoritative newspaper. The guidelines to correct hyphenation, punctuation, capitalization and foreign and English spelling are crisp and compact, created for instant reference in the rush of deadlines. Rewritten for the first time in twenty-three years and greatly expanded since the last edition, the manual tackles issues that will follow writers into the new century:
- How to respect the equality of the sexes without self-conscious devices such as "he or she"
- How to choose thoughtfully between terms like African-American and black; Hispanic and Latino; American Indian and Native American
- How to translate the vocabulary of e-mail and cyberspace for everyday readers, and how to cope with the eccentric capitalization and punctuation of Internet company names and Web site addresses
The authors have more than seventy years of combined newsroom experience, most of it at The Times. They recognize that our language is changing, but they tailor their responses to the paper's impression of its readership: "educated and sophisticated... traditional but not tradition-bound."
They counsel a fluid style, easygoing but not slangy, the unpretentious language of a letter to a literate friend. They invite readers of the manual to be precise while casting off the stodgy (among dozens of examples, writing before instead of the pompous prior to, and carry out instead of implement).
The authors also offer a thumbnail guide to newsroom ethics and standards in their entries on anonymous sources, attribution, fairness and obscenity. And they seed the rules with wry humor. (On vogue words: "Wannabe is the faddish slang of adults who, well, want to be teenagers." And about the late: "Do not fall into this error: Only the late Senator Miel opposed the bill. He was almost certainly alive at the time.")
For writers, editors, students, researchers and all who love language, The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage is an entertaining tool as well as an essential reference.
Customer Reviews:
Don't buy this........2004-08-19
This is a book which will tell you that using "data" as a plural is "stilted and deservedly obscure". This book essentially surveys the current mis-use of language and writes it down for all to follow. I expect they would have to issue a new version every year to keep up with the drift, which I suppose would be a good money-maker for the publisher.
Superb - for fiction writers, too!.......2004-01-13
_
Easy to navigate, has the answers to the questions you want, and you can find them instantly. I use this far more often than the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk and White. It's small, well-organized, and has it all (most of it all, anyway).
I write fiction, and this guide works wonderfully anyway; I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a fiction writer. Sometimes--but only rarely--entries don't apply to fiction writing, or the rules differ.
The manual is organized alphabetically, not just by subject, but the entire book is alphabetical. This makes it *so* much easier to find what I'm looking for than the other reference guides.
E.g.: Do titles of books go in quotes? Look up "book" and the answer is there. If the answer isn't there, this manual anticipates what you may be looking for and tells you: for titles, see "title." If you look up the word, "quote," it will tell you how to use quotation marks (not 2nd grade information, but every permutation of those gnawing things you just aren't quite sure about when writing a professional cover letter or a story). And again, it can anticipate what was left out of the "quote" entry and send you elsewhere.
It's a keyword book, organized alphabetically, beginning to end. It *is* the glossary, in a sense, but the glossary doesn't send you to a wordy, where's-what-I-want chapter; the info is succintly at hand. No need to spend any amount of time searching for your question, or answer; it's there for you, as is the reason for the usage. I'd call this the opposite of the Chicago Manual of Style, where time spent searching for where they may have chosen to put my question is an exercise in frustration.
This is a great reference guide for any writer's desk, and within my reach at all times.
Say it as simply as possible........2003-09-28
I would expect the world's leading daily newspaper to produce a pretty decent style guide and I was not disappointed with this edition. Having always worked in the design side of publishing, where it is necessary to be much more familiar with words and language than other areas of print design, I've collected a few style guides over the years. This manual and the one from The Economist I have found the most interesting.
The New York Times book offers clarity and sensibly an alphabetical solution to the contents so that you can look up, for instance, elements of punctuation individually rather than have them all grouped under Punctuation. The manual takes a whole page to explain the use of hyphens and intriguingly uses this example 'Use the suspensive hyphen rather than repeat the second part of a modifier, in cases like this: On successive days there were three-, five- and nine-inch snowfalls' Quite correct but not very elegant I thought. It is this attention to detail and the thoroughness of the manual that impressed me.
I think it is worth mentioning here a rather unique style guide by Keith Waterhouse (author of 'Billy Liar) called 'Waterhouse on newspaper style'. I frequently get this out because it such a joy to read. Originally produced for journalists on the Daily Mirror (in the past the leading British tabloid) it is alphabetical but concerned with style more than anything, part of the contents might give you a feel of the subject matter, Adjectives, Alliteration, And now, The asthmatic comma, Captions, Catchwords, Cliches (standard), Cliches (trade), Compression, Consequences, Crossheads, Dead letters, Dots and dashes. It was published in the UK by Viking in 1989 and is well worth searching out.
A great and indispensable reference book.......2002-02-06
I wish I had known about this book ten years ago. It's got almost everything I need, as a newsletter editor and technical writer. I love it and use it every day.
Strengths: In-depth explanation of hyphenation with prefixes (pre-, in-, under-), very useful for a technical writer.
Flaws: It's got a strong NY regional focus (to be expected) and omits some useful words such as "hitchhike".
I back it up with the AP stylebook and Fowler's Modern English Usage.
A Great Manual -- but not for tired eyes!.......2002-01-09
This excellent manual shows some of the care and thought that went into Fowler's, Modern English Usage first published in an Oxford University edition of the 1920's. Newer writers have filled the need to update old Fowler and "Americanize" the examples without markedly changing the rules of our language. In this respect, the present authors Siegal and Connelly have done a great job of updating everything that crossed their desks. It was revealing to see, for example, the use of MIRV in two conflicting applications. Also, the small caps font for related entries is very useful.
Yet, I am frustrated; the glossy cover conceals an unfortunate economy in its production. The paper reminds me of pulp novel stock and the binding of these 369 pages which will be well-thumbed, is likely to fall apart if the pages are opened for the book to rest flat on a table. The print size is fairly small, but most important, the print is weak, the paper greyish -- a hard combination to live with. If you have any vision problem, you will need to read this with a strong light.
The thoughtfully presented Foreword (yes, this book has a Foreword well worth reading) with its well-chosen examples of style is excellent -- on any kind of paper!
It's difficult, if not impossible, to produce an error-free text, even after more than one edition, but when it's more than a spelling or language error, it's worthy of mention: Entries for both Fahrenheit and Celsius should give conversions to each other, but the Fahrenheit does not convert to Celsius; you'll have to reverse the math yourself.
If you are going to use this as a frequent reference, opt for the hard-cover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Not very useful.......2007-09-14
I bought this book in hopes that I could learn a bit more about opportunites for freelance writers. However, what I have read so far was not very helpful. The information is very simple, and the book was filled with more anecdotes and examples of already published writers, making it seem at parts more biographical than informational. I was disappointed with the amount of personal stories about writers that overtook the book. One good thing about the book was that it suggested some helpful sources, but as a source itself, it did not do me much good.
Stop! Don't buy this book until you read on!.......2007-01-25
As a novice freelancer, I purchased this book thinking that it would provide me with detailed and up-to-date information on writing careers. What I was looking for was a guide to offer advice on getting started and to hopefully lead me in the right direction. Of all of the writing books that I purchased, I found this one the least helpful. And in fact, I found it so UNhelpful, that I wasn't even able to waste my time finishing it.
This book was a disappointment from the start. The information provided is EXTREMELY simplistic and generalized. There is an occasional website or address mentioned that may be worthwhile, but otherwise, the book was a complete wash.
In my opinion, this book is intended for young authors (ages 10 - 13) that dream of one day being published. For them, they will learn the absolute basics of writing careers and of writing itself. If nothing else, it may help cultivate their interest in the field.
If you are an adult in search of freelance instruction, do not buy this book (unless you want to buy my copy). It will provide you with no more real information than you possessed before reading it, and you will be greatly disappointed.
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General
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Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications Third Edition
The Elements of Technical Writing (Elements of Series)
Developing Quality Technical Information: A Handbook for Writers and Editors (2nd Edition) (IBM Press Series--Information Management)
Technical Writing for Dummies
The Handbook of Technical Writing, Eighth Edition (Handbook of Technical Writing Practices)
