Writers' and Artists' Yearbook, London: A & C Black (issued annually) pp.699, ISBN 0713659823
Number One best-seller. Gives contact details of publishers, agents, and outlets for writers in the US and UK. It also includes short essays offering advice to would-be writers on issues of producing articles, self-publishing, research techniques, payments to writers, libel, copyright, and electronic writing. Issued annually.
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Barry Turner (ed), The Writer's Handbook, London: Macmillan, (issued annually) pp.752, ISBN: 0333905636
This is the 'other' reference manual for writers and people working in the media. It lists publishers in the UK and the US, offers advice on how to place work and how to deal with agents. Lists key personnel in publishing and media. Particularly good section on library services. Also features best-seller lists and articles and tips written by successful authors. Issued annually - get the latest edition.
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Harold Evans, Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers, London: Random House, 2000, pp.296, ISBN 0712664475.
Reprint and update of a classic guide. Evans concentrates on skills for journalists, but his suggestions for clear writing and efficient communication are useful for any kind of writing. Extensive tutorials on composition, structure, and good style. Advice on sentence construction, editing for clarity, choice of vocabulary, avoiding obscurity and abstraction, plus eliminating vagueness and cliche.
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Rudolph Flesch and A.H. Lass, The Classic Guide to Better Writing, New York: Harper Perennial, 1966, pp.288, ISBN: 0062730487.
Best-selling US guide with emphasis on how to generate, plan, and structure your ideas. Also covers basic grammar, good style, and common mistakes. Covers the construction of paragraphs; linking ideas and statements; audience and tone; clauses, phrases, and sentence construction; brevity, clarity, and avoiding ambiguity.
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H. Ramsey Fowler and Jane E Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook New York: Longman, (7th edn) 1998, pp.882, ISBN: 0321037979.
Encyclopaedic guide to all aspects of writing - includes vocabulary, punctuation, grammar, style, document design, MLA conventions, editing, bibliography, and the Internet. Every point is illustrated with examples, and there are exercises at the end of each chapter. Sample research papers and an examination essay with comments on structure, format, citation, and secondary sources.
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The Oxford Writers' Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990, pp.448, ISBN: 0192826697
This is a specialist dictionary for writers, journalists, and text-editors. It deals with unusual, problematic, and foreign words, offering correct spellings and usage. Covers American and English conventions, abbreviations, and issues of hyphenation and punctuation. Now in a new edition which has been expanded and revised. Also includes a guide to proofreading. Strongly recommended - especially for intermediate and advanced users.
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John Seely, The Oxford Guide to Writing and Speaking, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000, pp.304, ISBN 0192801090.
A brisk guide to various forms of writing and verbal presentations - from academic work, via faxes and email, to research and dissertations. Plenty of examples and self-assessment exercises. Deals with business letters, CVs, faxes and email messages, interviews, organizing meetings, presentations, writing reports, and essays and dissertations. Suitable for beginners.
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William Strunk and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1979, pp.92, ISBN: 0205191584.
Best-selling 'bare bones' guidance manual which cuts out everything except the essential answers to most common writing problems. It deals with spelling, punctuation, and grammar, as well as frequently misused words and expressions. Includes a list of twenty-one guidelines for clear and good writing. Compact - and cheap.
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Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, (6th edn) 1987, pp.300, ISBN: 0226816273
This is a modern US classic guidance manual for academic work - but it's suitable for other forms of writing too. It covers everything from abbreviations via bibliography and referencing, to page layout. Also includes details of how to edit and present documents for publication.
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Joseph Williams, Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, New York: Addison Wesley, 6th edn, 1999, pp.309, ISBN: 0321024087
This is a manual of advice for improving your writing. The lessons put their emphasis on re-drafting and editing for clarity, creating structure, and keeping the audience in mind. It includes examples which are analysed and re-worked, plus exercises with suggested answers. Very popular - and now in its sixth edition.
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William Zinsser, On Writing Well, New York: Harper Perennial, 1990, pp.308, ISBN 0062735233
Reassuring guidance from an experienced journalist on writing more effectively. Particularly good on editing and re-writing. He deals with a variety of non-fiction writing - including travel, sports, interviews, and even science and technology. Lots of examples examined in detail, and he takes you through the composition of a complete article to show how it's done. Best-seller. Recommended.
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