Constant Content

Good Evening,

I wanted to share something I've been reading with everyone. A friend loaned me the book On Writing Well by William Zinsser. I can't say enough about this book. It's not filled with the ego fluffing stuff of telling you that you can write anyway you want and be paid a fabulous fee, it gives you solid information on how to write and write well for the non-fiction genre. Zinsser adds a touch of humor to what I consider a very serious subject, writing and how to become better. It's an older book that's been out for some time and I'm not sure it's still in publication, but for those who want to be the best writer they can be I highly recommend it.

I've read alot of posts from writers new to CC and I wanted to quote Zinsser just for you, " As a non-fiction writer you must get on the plane. If a subject interests you, go after it, even it’s in the next county or the next state or the next country. It’s not going to come looking for you. Decide what you want to do. Then decide to do it. Then do it." —William Zinsser

I find that paragraph very inspiring and I'm getting on the plane.

T Opdycke

Thanks for the post, topdycke! I wonder if my library would have a copy....

Good recommendation! On Writing Well by William Zinsser is an excellent book. Another book that is out-of-print but worth digging around for is Stalking the Feature Story:How to get and write the facts on the people, places and events that make the news. by William Ruehlmann (Writer's Digest). 1977. It's written for people who want to write newspaper features but his advice fits well with online article writing. (Some advice is dated, but most is not.) Ruehlmann uses examples from features written by Ernest Hemingway, Bob Greene, and others. I found my copy at a library book sale and paid $1.00, but it's worth 100 times that!
Mary B.

(A lagniappe for the CC editors.)
Ruehlmann on grammar and diction:
"Architects must know how to design a structure that won't collapse before they concern themselves with making it beautiful. The same is true of writers. The rules of grammar are not pedantic restrictions but necessary aids in communicating meaning."

most county seats and city governments have websites that showcase festivals, historic sites, and public attractions in their locale. Also a phone call to such locations can often give you a glimpse of dialect and speech oddities in that area. So you can get on the VIRTUAL plane and visit such spots!

I just purchased this book! I haven't had a chance to read it yet but it's good to know it's worth reading.

I've taken "get on the plane" in a more literal sense: do what you need to do to get the material for an article.

And to take the phrase even more literally, make sure you have a passport. I got a call from an editor asking if I could travel for a few days to preview a piece of software. I live a couple hours' drive from D.C. and Baltimore, where several companies have their digs; I said sure. Turns out, she was looking to send someone to Paris. No passport=missed opportunity.

Dave, what a shame you missed a trip to Paris. I took Zinsser's suggestion to get on the plane literally and figuratively. I'd like nothing better than to be paid to write travel articles while having the traveling paid for, too. Yes, I want my cake and eat it too. IN the mean time I'll get on the plane and learn all I can to become a better writer. I'm one of those writers who has a bookcase filled with books on writing.

After finishing Zinsser's book I moved on to Stephen King's book, [i]On Writing[/i] and was wowed by his approach to telling his story and how he writes. I highly recommend it to anyone chasing the dream of writing fiction. I've left the writing books (except for Strunk and White and Rodale's Synonym Finder) behind while I delve into Kundera for awhile.

Happy reading and writing!

T