Do you know of any writing practice books?

Question

I would like a book that would help me develop my writing skills. I would prefer something that has various writing exercises and tips. Any ideas or suggestions?

Answer 1

Miss D, I'll help you! I teach writing at the college level.

Actually, "kittyrogers" is right. There's really no easy way to learn. You've got to read everything you can get your hands on (Yahoo Answers probably doesn't count!). I'd suggest good old fashioned books, or find a magazine that you like which features quality writers (The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, Harper's are ones I find interesting).

Then, you've also got to write, write, write. A major hangup for many of my students is that they fret over small things: grammar, spelling, etc., WHILE they are writing. There's no surer way to cut off your good ideas before they make it to paper. Better to get everything down -- almost in a freewriting kind of way -- and THEN go back and worry about all the small stuff. You'll probably find, too, that when freewriting you're actually COMING up with ideas. That's because writing can help you do this -- some go so far as to say that writing IS thinking. Pretty far out, but remember that such "thinking on paper" shouldn't be your final draft -- you've got to go back and polish things up, make sure your ideas are well organized.

You might also read some acknowledged "masters," whatever that means. George Orwell is pretty amazing. Read some of his shorter works. You might try finding a "Reader;" a text full of classic essays and such that is usually required in a composition class. I'm sure you could find one at the library.

Read whatever you do read CRITICALLY. Why does the author use that word there? Why does he/she introduce this concept at the end of this paragraph, rather than at the beginning? What is he/she leaving out? Where do the verbs come in the sentences that they write, and how close are those verbs to the subject? You'll find some pretty cool things if you read this way -- slowly and critically.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

There is only ONE way to practice your writing skills, and that is to read, read, read everything you can get your hands on, and write, write, write. In addition, take some writing courses and workshops. Read, read, read some more, then write, write, write. Practice writing news stories, non-fiction, fiction, and outlines, and a synopsis or two, or three or a hundred. The only way to accomplish what you want is hard, hard work and a lot of it. No easy way.

Answer 3

Stephen King came out with a book called On Writing that I thought was his best book and sage advice.