How to Be Your Own Best Editor: The Toolkit for Everyone Who Writes

Two of the three books written by Barry Tarshis - "How To Write Without Pain" and "How To Write Like a Pro" - seem to be out of print. Yet that doesn't take the merit away from Tarshis - his writing tips merit him an equal space with Strunk & White, Zinsser and Gutkind - masterly scholars all who wax eloquent on the art of fine writing. In the present tome - "How to Be Your own Best Editor", Barry gives invaluable tips on the lesser remembered tip which seasoned writers exhort - Re-writing, Editing. Barry hits the nail with his inimitable simplicity. He takes us through the maze of editing - a must for good writing. Afterall, Truman Capote said: "Good Writing is Re-writing. And re-writing. And re-writing." Barry tells us how to cut sentences to size that sizzles, how to sculp whole words out of whatever godamn order you put them in the first place. Having taught writing himself, Barry gives us rich examples of re-drafting what seem hopeless into remarkable ones. I recommend Barry's book to anyone who aspires to write what the editor wants or readers read. The book not just deals with the art of sentence surgery; it also gives us the wherewithal to write short sentences, crispen paragraphs, put winning captions, and make any writing fit in a house style. I also think that Barry has done it third time by making a mincemeat of all the editing principles used by skilful editors - look at the book. It is cut to the bone - 128 pages! Recommended.