Alright. I’m going to say it. Writing is hard. Sometimes I don’t know where to start. Or where to end. Or what to say in between. Usually, my solution is to read about it. Except a lot of writing books are textbooks. Or they’re bland. Or even worse, they’re pretentious. Some books talk of style and claim if you make grammatical errors, you’re a terrible writer and you’re going to fail. At least, that’s how they make me feel.
Luckily, I have found a book that doesn’t preach rules or make you feel bad: Write to the Point, and Feel Better About Your Writing by Bill Stott. This book is written for the young, insecure non-fiction writer. Bill Stott made me feel like I could be a successful writer, through this book alone. I already feel that my writing has improved after reading his book.
Stott is an English teacher, which gives him a unique perspective into the way writing his taught, and, therefore, the way the student thinks about writing. He talks about mistakes teachers make that, he claims, only bring young writers down. He is humanized as he admits his mistakes as a teacher and shares regret for some of his actions.
Stott tells the reader (a writer) to do things they already know how to do (no spoilers). Somehow hearing it said makes it seem so much easier. He points out common errors made by new writers. Not grammatical mistakes (although he does talk about those too), but organizational mistakes. He makes organizing a paper/article/book seem easy.
Write to the Point does talk about grammatical errors, but only briefly. They seem to be an aside at the end of the book. They are explained entirely through examples. I love this because without examples I cannot understand grammar rules.
I must mention that this book was written in 1991. However, you shouldn’t worry that it’s outdated. This book feels as if it was written yesterday. That is, except for the portion on what’s best to write on. If you’re like me, you might have to look up what a word processor is. Otherwise, it’s a non-issue.
If you want to write, but are intimidated or insecure, I would recommend this book to you. I often feel insecure about my writing, but this book reminded me that it’s okay to make mistakes. You can edit! This book is an easy, enjoyable read. It tells you everything you need to know. Get this book and get writing.
madison brewer 