Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

A timeless classic of copywriting, 09 Jan 2009
Yes, it's a bit dated (he talks about typewriters and card indexes) but the basics are all there: clear writing, focus on benefits, never forgetting the target audience, having a clear offer and a call to action.

Whatever the medium, and whatever the tools, those fundamentals will never change. They're as relevant now in the age of blogs, Twitter and Youtube as they were in the time of carbon copies and golfballs.

Bly is the ultimate copywriter's copywriter. Read him and keep.

Can't argue with any of this, 04 Dec 2006
Excellent primer on the craft of copywriting. I've read many, and this is up there. Along the way, in addition to his own insights, Bly offers useful edited highlights from some of the wisest names in the trade. Very valuable for anyone wanting to get into the business as a writer and for those, like myself, already doing it. Priceless for anyone whose job is to manage writers and sign off on copy. Should be required reading for all client-side marketing people and agency account execs, particularly for what Bly has to say about writing ads in a vacuum, the importance of knowing your audience as well as you know your product, and about writing ads for them, not for your own amusement. And an excellent reminder about the limits of 'creativity' in marketing. With reference to one of the other reviews of this book, it's not a blast from the past, it's true. You can't gainsay the proof of decades.

Blast from the past!, 19 Feb 2004
If you want to know how to do 80's Hard Sales Adverts, this is a great book. Don't expect more than that.

The Best Book I've Read About Writing Persuasively, 27 Aug 1999
This book is the best book I've ever read about how to write persuasively, to sell, to convince other people about your point of view.

A great resource, check out Bly'sGetting Your Book Published, 04 Oct 1998
This is a fantastic resource guide and I simply loved it. I have read many of Bly's works and they are all equally insightful and full of info. Getting Your Book Published, one of his newest titles has in fact helped me land a publishing deal.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

A timeless classic of copywriting, 09 Jan 2009
Yes, it's a bit dated (he talks about typewriters and card indexes) but the basics are all there: clear writing, focus on benefits, never forgetting the target audience, having a clear offer and a call to action.

Whatever the medium, and whatever the tools, those fundamentals will never change. They're as relevant now in the age of blogs, Twitter and Youtube as they were in the time of carbon copies and golfballs.

Bly is the ultimate copywriter's copywriter. Read him and keep.

Can't argue with any of this, 04 Dec 2006
Excellent primer on the craft of copywriting. I've read many, and this is up there. Along the way, in addition to his own insights, Bly offers useful edited highlights from some of the wisest names in the trade. Very valuable for anyone wanting to get into the business as a writer and for those, like myself, already doing it. Priceless for anyone whose job is to manage writers and sign off on copy. Should be required reading for all client-side marketing people and agency account execs, particularly for what Bly has to say about writing ads in a vacuum, the importance of knowing your audience as well as you know your product, and about writing ads for them, not for your own amusement. And an excellent reminder about the limits of 'creativity' in marketing. With reference to one of the other reviews of this book, it's not a blast from the past, it's true. You can't gainsay the proof of decades.

Blast from the past!, 19 Feb 2004
If you want to know how to do 80's Hard Sales Adverts, this is a great book. Don't expect more than that.

The Best Book I've Read About Writing Persuasively, 27 Aug 1999
This book is the best book I've ever read about how to write persuasively, to sell, to convince other people about your point of view.

A great resource, check out Bly'sGetting Your Book Published, 04 Oct 1998
This is a fantastic resource guide and I simply loved it. I have read many of Bly's works and they are all equally insightful and full of info. Getting Your Book Published, one of his newest titles has in fact helped me land a publishing deal.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

A timeless classic of copywriting, 09 Jan 2009
Yes, it's a bit dated (he talks about typewriters and card indexes) but the basics are all there: clear writing, focus on benefits, never forgetting the target audience, having a clear offer and a call to action.

Whatever the medium, and whatever the tools, those fundamentals will never change. They're as relevant now in the age of blogs, Twitter and Youtube as they were in the time of carbon copies and golfballs.

Bly is the ultimate copywriter's copywriter. Read him and keep.

Can't argue with any of this, 04 Dec 2006
Excellent primer on the craft of copywriting. I've read many, and this is up there. Along the way, in addition to his own insights, Bly offers useful edited highlights from some of the wisest names in the trade. Very valuable for anyone wanting to get into the business as a writer and for those, like myself, already doing it. Priceless for anyone whose job is to manage writers and sign off on copy. Should be required reading for all client-side marketing people and agency account execs, particularly for what Bly has to say about writing ads in a vacuum, the importance of knowing your audience as well as you know your product, and about writing ads for them, not for your own amusement. And an excellent reminder about the limits of 'creativity' in marketing. With reference to one of the other reviews of this book, it's not a blast from the past, it's true. You can't gainsay the proof of decades.

Blast from the past!, 19 Feb 2004
If you want to know how to do 80's Hard Sales Adverts, this is a great book. Don't expect more than that.

The Best Book I've Read About Writing Persuasively, 27 Aug 1999
This book is the best book I've ever read about how to write persuasively, to sell, to convince other people about your point of view.

A great resource, check out Bly'sGetting Your Book Published, 04 Oct 1998
This is a fantastic resource guide and I simply loved it. I have read many of Bly's works and they are all equally insightful and full of info. Getting Your Book Published, one of his newest titles has in fact helped me land a publishing deal.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

writing for nursing and midwifery students, 31 Jul 2007
I bought this book because I was struggling with writing reflective accounts in my nurse training. I found the book easy to understand and the chapters were relevant to my stage of the course. I especially needed information on elaborating on Gibbs' model of reflection and this book contained enough information for me to understand it. It also contains information on writing care plans, reflective essays and so on which I will find useful as I progress throught the course.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

A timeless classic of copywriting, 09 Jan 2009
Yes, it's a bit dated (he talks about typewriters and card indexes) but the basics are all there: clear writing, focus on benefits, never forgetting the target audience, having a clear offer and a call to action.

Whatever the medium, and whatever the tools, those fundamentals will never change. They're as relevant now in the age of blogs, Twitter and Youtube as they were in the time of carbon copies and golfballs.

Bly is the ultimate copywriter's copywriter. Read him and keep.

Can't argue with any of this, 04 Dec 2006
Excellent primer on the craft of copywriting. I've read many, and this is up there. Along the way, in addition to his own insights, Bly offers useful edited highlights from some of the wisest names in the trade. Very valuable for anyone wanting to get into the business as a writer and for those, like myself, already doing it. Priceless for anyone whose job is to manage writers and sign off on copy. Should be required reading for all client-side marketing people and agency account execs, particularly for what Bly has to say about writing ads in a vacuum, the importance of knowing your audience as well as you know your product, and about writing ads for them, not for your own amusement. And an excellent reminder about the limits of 'creativity' in marketing. With reference to one of the other reviews of this book, it's not a blast from the past, it's true. You can't gainsay the proof of decades.

Blast from the past!, 19 Feb 2004
If you want to know how to do 80's Hard Sales Adverts, this is a great book. Don't expect more than that.

The Best Book I've Read About Writing Persuasively, 27 Aug 1999
This book is the best book I've ever read about how to write persuasively, to sell, to convince other people about your point of view.

A great resource, check out Bly'sGetting Your Book Published, 04 Oct 1998
This is a fantastic resource guide and I simply loved it. I have read many of Bly's works and they are all equally insightful and full of info. Getting Your Book Published, one of his newest titles has in fact helped me land a publishing deal.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

writing for nursing and midwifery students, 31 Jul 2007
I bought this book because I was struggling with writing reflective accounts in my nurse training. I found the book easy to understand and the chapters were relevant to my stage of the course. I especially needed information on elaborating on Gibbs' model of reflection and this book contained enough information for me to understand it. It also contains information on writing care plans, reflective essays and so on which I will find useful as I progress throught the course.

excellent reference book to have at your desk, 22 Jun 1998
i started using this book with my students who are learning english. they found the example letters very useful for reference when writing for their jobs. i really appreciated the excercises that are included to learn how to write right the first time. we both liked that it was a 'real book' and not one just for ESL.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

A timeless classic of copywriting, 09 Jan 2009
Yes, it's a bit dated (he talks about typewriters and card indexes) but the basics are all there: clear writing, focus on benefits, never forgetting the target audience, having a clear offer and a call to action.

Whatever the medium, and whatever the tools, those fundamentals will never change. They're as relevant now in the age of blogs, Twitter and Youtube as they were in the time of carbon copies and golfballs.

Bly is the ultimate copywriter's copywriter. Read him and keep.

Can't argue with any of this, 04 Dec 2006
Excellent primer on the craft of copywriting. I've read many, and this is up there. Along the way, in addition to his own insights, Bly offers useful edited highlights from some of the wisest names in the trade. Very valuable for anyone wanting to get into the business as a writer and for those, like myself, already doing it. Priceless for anyone whose job is to manage writers and sign off on copy. Should be required reading for all client-side marketing people and agency account execs, particularly for what Bly has to say about writing ads in a vacuum, the importance of knowing your audience as well as you know your product, and about writing ads for them, not for your own amusement. And an excellent reminder about the limits of 'creativity' in marketing. With reference to one of the other reviews of this book, it's not a blast from the past, it's true. You can't gainsay the proof of decades.

Blast from the past!, 19 Feb 2004
If you want to know how to do 80's Hard Sales Adverts, this is a great book. Don't expect more than that.

The Best Book I've Read About Writing Persuasively, 27 Aug 1999
This book is the best book I've ever read about how to write persuasively, to sell, to convince other people about your point of view.

A great resource, check out Bly'sGetting Your Book Published, 04 Oct 1998
This is a fantastic resource guide and I simply loved it. I have read many of Bly's works and they are all equally insightful and full of info. Getting Your Book Published, one of his newest titles has in fact helped me land a publishing deal.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

writing for nursing and midwifery students, 31 Jul 2007
I bought this book because I was struggling with writing reflective accounts in my nurse training. I found the book easy to understand and the chapters were relevant to my stage of the course. I especially needed information on elaborating on Gibbs' model of reflection and this book contained enough information for me to understand it. It also contains information on writing care plans, reflective essays and so on which I will find useful as I progress throught the course.

excellent reference book to have at your desk, 22 Jun 1998
i started using this book with my students who are learning english. they found the example letters very useful for reference when writing for their jobs. i really appreciated the excercises that are included to learn how to write right the first time. we both liked that it was a 'real book' and not one just for ESL.

Excellent way to improve your writing skills, 24 May 2007
This book is an excellent way for you to improve your scientific writing. He works through everything from Introduction, Structure, Language and Illustrations by first stating his points and suggestions and then illustrating them with examples. This is a very good way to present his views and ideas, when you read an example of weak and strong writing you realise immediately which one is the better although it would take quite some effort to describe in writing what makes the difference. He offers many hands on tips and hints to improve as well.

This book is a good reference to look up things later on. I have learned a lot from this book, and I can recomend it.


amazing book, 28 Jul 2001
this is a cool book. this is "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk Jr for scientific writing. heck, even science fiction writers could benefit from the material!

A great book!, 05 Oct 2000
This book does not offer a set of rules or guidelines how to write a good scientific article - simply because there are no such general rules. Instead, it teaches you to analyze scientific writing, and helps you to find problems in your own writing. All common problems are illustrated by examples, and possible corrections are suggested.

Reading this book really improved my writing skills.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

A timeless classic of copywriting, 09 Jan 2009
Yes, it's a bit dated (he talks about typewriters and card indexes) but the basics are all there: clear writing, focus on benefits, never forgetting the target audience, having a clear offer and a call to action.

Whatever the medium, and whatever the tools, those fundamentals will never change. They're as relevant now in the age of blogs, Twitter and Youtube as they were in the time of carbon copies and golfballs.

Bly is the ultimate copywriter's copywriter. Read him and keep.

Can't argue with any of this, 04 Dec 2006
Excellent primer on the craft of copywriting. I've read many, and this is up there. Along the way, in addition to his own insights, Bly offers useful edited highlights from some of the wisest names in the trade. Very valuable for anyone wanting to get into the business as a writer and for those, like myself, already doing it. Priceless for anyone whose job is to manage writers and sign off on copy. Should be required reading for all client-side marketing people and agency account execs, particularly for what Bly has to say about writing ads in a vacuum, the importance of knowing your audience as well as you know your product, and about writing ads for them, not for your own amusement. And an excellent reminder about the limits of 'creativity' in marketing. With reference to one of the other reviews of this book, it's not a blast from the past, it's true. You can't gainsay the proof of decades.

Blast from the past!, 19 Feb 2004
If you want to know how to do 80's Hard Sales Adverts, this is a great book. Don't expect more than that.

The Best Book I've Read About Writing Persuasively, 27 Aug 1999
This book is the best book I've ever read about how to write persuasively, to sell, to convince other people about your point of view.

A great resource, check out Bly'sGetting Your Book Published, 04 Oct 1998
This is a fantastic resource guide and I simply loved it. I have read many of Bly's works and they are all equally insightful and full of info. Getting Your Book Published, one of his newest titles has in fact helped me land a publishing deal.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

writing for nursing and midwifery students, 31 Jul 2007
I bought this book because I was struggling with writing reflective accounts in my nurse training. I found the book easy to understand and the chapters were relevant to my stage of the course. I especially needed information on elaborating on Gibbs' model of reflection and this book contained enough information for me to understand it. It also contains information on writing care plans, reflective essays and so on which I will find useful as I progress throught the course.

excellent reference book to have at your desk, 22 Jun 1998
i started using this book with my students who are learning english. they found the example letters very useful for reference when writing for their jobs. i really appreciated the excercises that are included to learn how to write right the first time. we both liked that it was a 'real book' and not one just for ESL.

Excellent way to improve your writing skills, 24 May 2007
This book is an excellent way for you to improve your scientific writing. He works through everything from Introduction, Structure, Language and Illustrations by first stating his points and suggestions and then illustrating them with examples. This is a very good way to present his views and ideas, when you read an example of weak and strong writing you realise immediately which one is the better although it would take quite some effort to describe in writing what makes the difference. He offers many hands on tips and hints to improve as well.

This book is a good reference to look up things later on. I have learned a lot from this book, and I can recomend it.


amazing book, 28 Jul 2001
this is a cool book. this is "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk Jr for scientific writing. heck, even science fiction writers could benefit from the material!

A great book!, 05 Oct 2000
This book does not offer a set of rules or guidelines how to write a good scientific article - simply because there are no such general rules. Instead, it teaches you to analyze scientific writing, and helps you to find problems in your own writing. All common problems are illustrated by examples, and possible corrections are suggested.

Reading this book really improved my writing skills.

Makes maths research fun, using socratic dialogue., 21 Nov 2000
A few years ago John Horton Conway of the University of Cambridge hit on a remarkable new way to construct numbers ... Conway explained his new system to Donald E. Knuth, a computer scientist at Stanford University, when they happened to meet at lunch one day in 1972. Knuth was immediately fascinated by its possibilities and its revolutionary content. In 1973 during a week of relaxation in Oslo, Knuth wrote an introduction to Conway's method in the form of a novelette. ... I believe it is the only time a major mathematical discovery has been published first in a work of fiction. ... The book's primary aim, Knuth explains in a postscript, is not so much to teach Conway's theory as ``to teach how one might go about developing such a theory.'' He continues: ``Therefore, as the two characters in this book gradually explore and build up Conway's number system, I have recorded their false starts and frustrations as well as their good ideas. I wanted to give a reasonably faithful portrayal of the important principles, techniques, joys, passions, and philosophy of mathematics, so I wrote the story as I was actually doing the research myself.'' ... It is an astonishing feat of legerdemain. An empty hat rests on a table made of a few axioms of standard set theory. Conway waves two simple rules in the air, then reaches into almost nothing and pulls out an infinitely rich tapestry of numbers that form a real and closed field. Every real number is surrounded by a host of new numbers that lie closer to it than any other ``real'' value does. The system is truly ``surreal.'' [quoted from Martin Gardner, Mathematical Magic Show, pp. 16--19]

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

A timeless classic of copywriting, 09 Jan 2009
Yes, it's a bit dated (he talks about typewriters and card indexes) but the basics are all there: clear writing, focus on benefits, never forgetting the target audience, having a clear offer and a call to action.

Whatever the medium, and whatever the tools, those fundamentals will never change. They're as relevant now in the age of blogs, Twitter and Youtube as they were in the time of carbon copies and golfballs.

Bly is the ultimate copywriter's copywriter. Read him and keep.

Can't argue with any of this, 04 Dec 2006
Excellent primer on the craft of copywriting. I've read many, and this is up there. Along the way, in addition to his own insights, Bly offers useful edited highlights from some of the wisest names in the trade. Very valuable for anyone wanting to get into the business as a writer and for those, like myself, already doing it. Priceless for anyone whose job is to manage writers and sign off on copy. Should be required reading for all client-side marketing people and agency account execs, particularly for what Bly has to say about writing ads in a vacuum, the importance of knowing your audience as well as you know your product, and about writing ads for them, not for your own amusement. And an excellent reminder about the limits of 'creativity' in marketing. With reference to one of the other reviews of this book, it's not a blast from the past, it's true. You can't gainsay the proof of decades.

Blast from the past!, 19 Feb 2004
If you want to know how to do 80's Hard Sales Adverts, this is a great book. Don't expect more than that.

The Best Book I've Read About Writing Persuasively, 27 Aug 1999
This book is the best book I've ever read about how to write persuasively, to sell, to convince other people about your point of view.

A great resource, check out Bly'sGetting Your Book Published, 04 Oct 1998
This is a fantastic resource guide and I simply loved it. I have read many of Bly's works and they are all equally insightful and full of info. Getting Your Book Published, one of his newest titles has in fact helped me land a publishing deal.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

writing for nursing and midwifery students, 31 Jul 2007
I bought this book because I was struggling with writing reflective accounts in my nurse training. I found the book easy to understand and the chapters were relevant to my stage of the course. I especially needed information on elaborating on Gibbs' model of reflection and this book contained enough information for me to understand it. It also contains information on writing care plans, reflective essays and so on which I will find useful as I progress throught the course.

excellent reference book to have at your desk, 22 Jun 1998
i started using this book with my students who are learning english. they found the example letters very useful for reference when writing for their jobs. i really appreciated the excercises that are included to learn how to write right the first time. we both liked that it was a 'real book' and not one just for ESL.

Excellent way to improve your writing skills, 24 May 2007
This book is an excellent way for you to improve your scientific writing. He works through everything from Introduction, Structure, Language and Illustrations by first stating his points and suggestions and then illustrating them with examples. This is a very good way to present his views and ideas, when you read an example of weak and strong writing you realise immediately which one is the better although it would take quite some effort to describe in writing what makes the difference. He offers many hands on tips and hints to improve as well.

This book is a good reference to look up things later on. I have learned a lot from this book, and I can recomend it.


amazing book, 28 Jul 2001
this is a cool book. this is "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk Jr for scientific writing. heck, even science fiction writers could benefit from the material!

A great book!, 05 Oct 2000
This book does not offer a set of rules or guidelines how to write a good scientific article - simply because there are no such general rules. Instead, it teaches you to analyze scientific writing, and helps you to find problems in your own writing. All common pro