No writer's or editor's desk is complete without a battered, page-bent copy of the AP Stylebook. However, this not-so-easy-to-use reference of journalistic style is often not up-to-date and leaves reporters and copyeditors unsatisfied. Bill Walsh, copy chief for the Washington Post's business desk, addresses these shortcomings in Lapsing into a Comma. In an opinionated, humorous, and yes, curmudgeonly way, he shows how to apply the basic rules to unique, modern grammar issues. Walsh explains how to deal with perplexing situations such as trendy words, foreign terms, and web speak.

Natalie Goldberg's word-of-mouth hit has sold well over half a million copies. Goldberg, who has conducted writing workshops for both beginners and professionals all over the United States, sees writing as a practice that helps us comprehend the value of our lives. With insight, humor, and practicality, she inspires writers and would-be writers alike to take the leap into writing creatively and well.

Reading versions of important lectures given in the 1950s demonstrate Nabokov's critical talents and reveal his judgments on the works and achievement of Austen, Dickens, Flaubert, Joyce, Kafka, Proust, and Stevenson

For a quarter century, more than a million readers--scribes and scribblers of all ages and abilities--have been inspired by Anne Lamott's hilarious, big-hearted, homespun advice. Advice that begins with the simple words of wisdom passed down from Anne's father--also a writer--in the iconic passage that gives the book its title:

Can writing truly be taught? Can people train themselves to -write like a writer, ' or, more importantly, -think like a writer'? These frequently asked questions are the subject of this collection of exercises designed to teach the basic craft of writing fiction. aEach of the nearly 75 exercises in What If? teaches a skill or concept that will help students with the technical fundamentals of writing fiction. The award-winning authors (including a 1989 New York Times Notable Book of the Year for Professor Bernays' Romeo) deal with such topics as discovering where to start and end a story; learning when to use dialogue and when to use indirect discourse; creating and naming vivid characters; transforming real events into fiction; and finding language that both sings and communicates precisely.

You know the authors' names. You recognize the title. You've probably used this book yourself. This is The Elements of Style, the classic style manual, now in a fourth edition. The revisions to the new edition are purposely kept minimal in order to retain the book's unique tone, wit, and charm. A new Glossary of the grammatical terms used in the book provides a convenient reference for readers. The discussion of pronoun use is revised to reflect the contemporary concern with sexist language. In addition, there are numerous slight revisions in the book itself which implement this advice. A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk & White is as valuable today as when it was first offered.This book has conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers. Use the fourth edition of "the little book" to make a big impact with writing.

Cassell's Contemporary German is designed to make your German-speaking experience relaxing and uncomplicated. Part 1, A Concise Reference Grammar, is like a complete refresher course in the basics of sentence structure, verb forms (including modal verbs), mood, parts of speech, and gender. It's filled with examples and focuses on the specific problems English speakers often encounter when they try to learn German. Part 2, Contemporary Functional Language, demonstrates the practical, modern, everyday workings of the language. It is this section especially that sets Cassell's Contemporary German apart from any other language guide, because it gives you valuable advice for getting along on a day-to-day basis in a German-speaking country - without sounding like an outdated phrase book. Here you'll find guidelines for: using the telephone, asking for or giving advice, applying for a job and writing a resume, writing a personal or professional letter and offering or declining an invitation. This section also tackles the common questions and unnerving language nuances that plague nonfluent German speakers, such as: how to tell colloquial and slang expressions from vulgar ones, how to express yourself - and your opinions - politely and how to avoid mistaking English soundalikes for German words. Part 3, Word Power, is made up of several specialized vocabularies that help you decipher the unique languages of finance and banking; politics and current affairs; shopping; travel; legal matters; media, the arts, and literature; even weather forecasts. There's a reference you can use to build on the verbs, nouns, and adjectives you already know; and a guide to using popular expressions. Withdozens of examples and illustrations, Cassell's Contemporary German is guaranteed to make any visit or extended stay in a German-speaking area relaxing, enjoyable, and hassle-free.

Anyone who has ever tried to write a family history knows that it can be overwhelming. Writing the Family Narrative offers a clear and concise explanation of how to write your history in a way that entertains as well as informs. Using his experience teaching creative writing, Lawrence P. Gouldrup, has outlined a process that is tailored not for the serious novel writer, biographer, or essayist, but for the serious genealogist who wants to record his or her family story. He uses solid examples from both amateur and professional writers, making it easy for you to learn the process. The companion workbook to Writing the Family Narrative (ISBN #0916489418) goes further, taking you through each step of the writing process. You'll learn how to organize your records for writing, develop characters, include point of view, use dialogue, create an effective setting, and even edit and design your family history.

You know the authors' names. You recognize the title. You've probably used this book yourself. This is The Elements of Style, the classic style manual, now in a fourth edition. The revisions to the new edition are purposely kept minimal in order to retain the book's unique tone, wit, and charm. A new Glossary of the grammatical terms used in the book provides a convenient reference for readers. The discussion of pronoun use is revised to reflect the contemporary concern with sexist language. In addition, there are numerous slight revisions in the book itself which implement this advice. A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk & White is as valuable today as when it was first offered.This book has conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers. Use the fourth edition of "the little book" to make a big impact with writing.

Footnotes have not had it easy. Their dominance of eighteenth- and nineteenth- century literature and scholarship was both hard-won -- following many years of struggle -- and doomed, as it led to belittlement in the twentieth century. In The Devil's Details, Chuck Zerby playfully explores footnotes' long and illustrious history and makes a clarion call to save them from the new world of the Internet and hypertext.
In a story that boasts a marvelous plot and a rogues' gallery of players, Zerby examines traditional footnotes and their less-buttoned-down incarnations, as when used by pornographers. Yes, The Devil's Details is full of surprises: Zerby hunts down the first bona fide fully functioning footnote; unearths a multivolume history of Northumberland County, England, that uses one volume for a single footnote; and uncovers a murder plot. He even explains why footnotes are like blind dates.
Carefully researched and highly opinionated, The Devil's Details affirms that delight in reading can come from unexpected places