Getting the Words Right

I learned a LOT! This book isn't so dry you dread picking it up. It's interesting and motivating all together!

I'm the owner of a literary agency (About Words Agency), and when sending 99.95% of the submissions back to their authors for revision, I make sure to recommend Getting The Words Right, by Theodore Cheney in every single reply. I tell authors to read Stein on Writing, by Sol Stein, and then read Getting The Words Right. The two books work very well together. Cheney's method of working on the biggest problems first, like eliminating the first two or three chapters, and last of all, checking for smaller things such as spelling and punctuation, makes so much sense! It is the most efficient method of editing, and with increasingly busy lives, seems the most reasonable method as well. For a trademarked, innovative method of using your word processor to help you with the editing process, I also recommend Write in Style, by Bobbie Christmas. The competition for agents and publishers is fierce. If you want to get to the top of the pile, read and implement Getting The Words Right before you send in a query!

This is one of the best writer's books I've come across. It's certainly as good as Jon Franklin's book, and Franklin's book is excellent. I can't agree more; too much of what gets written is too wordy and has no unity of anything. But Cheney clearly shows you how to whittle and pare things down, plus get things moving in the right direction.

How is this different from any other writing book out there, you ask? Well, here's how to evaluate what you've written, how to recognize and fix awkward transitions and wordy or clumsy sentences, how to find hidden flaws all through your writing and what to do about them. Rewriting is the crux of communication through words on paper. "Books aren't written, they are re-written" is so very true. School children aren't taught to get it down on paper, then go back and revise once...and again...and again...and again. They are taught to look for spelling and punctuation errors and encouraged (by default) to leave their work as close to the first draft as possible. Professional writers learn quickly the importance of revision.Cheney clarifies the issue and leads the reader down the thorny path of pruning, clarifying and restructuring for the best possible prose.

Cheney doesn't mince words. His techniques will cut, clarify and polish your writing like no other book. This book replaces a couple of writing classes, at least. It should be on every aspiring, and experienced, writer's book shelf.