On Writing Well 是一本实用的英文写作指南,曾被《纽约时报》称作是“写作圣经”,是继The Elements of Style后又一本写作经典。
作者William Zinsser ,美国知名作家、编辑,70年代曾执教于耶鲁大学,后从The New School及哥伦比亚新闻研究院退休。
On Writing Well 总共分为4个部分,包括:
Part 1 Principles
The Transaction
Simplicity
Clutter
Style
The Audience
Words
Usage
Part 2 Methods
Unity
The Lead and the Ending
Bits & Pieces
Part 3 Forms
Nonfiction as Literature
Writing About People: The Interview
Writing About Places: The Travel Article
Writing About Yourself: The Memoir
Science and Technology
Business Writing: Writing in Your Job
Sports
Writing About the Arts: Critics and Columnists
Humor
Part 4 Attitudes
The Sound of Your Voice
Enjoyment, Fear and Confidence
The Tyranny of the Final Product
A Writer's Decisions
Writing Family History and Memoir
Write as Well as You Can
第一、二部分主要讲述了写作原则与方法,第三部分主要对不同形式的写作要求进行阐述,包括文学写作、访谈、旅行文章、回忆录、科技类文章、商务写作、体育文章、艺术文章及幽默;第四部分主要是写作的态度。