50 Ways to Help You Write

An easy-to-follow guide to successful writing, from first notes to final draft. Letters, memos, proposals, resumes, news releases, term papers, articles, stories, poems, and more. Upbeat, motivating, practical. An entire writer’s workshop in one handy volume featuring specific exercises and models for all types of writing. Includes start-up sheets, checklists, review sheets, “before” and “after” versions, outdoor writing experiments, common errors in grammar and punctuation, tips for becoming your own best editor, and ten things to try when you are stuck.

Clear steps and examples bring rapid writing improvement. Based on the author’s thirty years’ experience teaching in colleges and corporations, 50 Ways to Help You Write generates vivid, effective writing.


Sample Exercises: Business writers can “follow the MBA formula” (main point, benefits, action) to organize writing. Creative writers can sit by a window or a river, follow the steps to heighten awareness, and “let nature express your theme.” Article writers learn to “freely write your gripe” with compassionate objectivity. Students writing papers economize their time by first filling in a quick “Plan Your Pages” sheet. Teachers will find dozens of new, proven classroom “experiments” yielding a rich experience from which words freely flow.

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50 Ways to Help You Write

An easy-to-follow guide to successful writing, from first notes to final draft. Letters, memos, proposals, resumes, news releases, term papers, articles, stories, poems, and more. Upbeat, motivating, practical. An entire writer’s workshop in one handy volume featuring specific exercises and models for all types of writing. Includes start-up sheets, checklists, review sheets, “before” and “after” versions, outdoor writing experiments, common errors in grammar and punctuation, tips for becoming your own best editor, and ten things to try when you are stuck.

Clear steps and examples bring rapid writing improvement. Based on the author’s thirty years’ experience teaching in colleges and corporations, 50 Ways to Help You Write generates vivid, effective writing.


Sample Exercises: Business writers can “follow the MBA formula” (main point, benefits, action) to organize writing. Creative writers can sit by a window or a river, follow the steps to heighten awareness, and “let nature express your theme.” Article writers learn to “freely write your gripe” with compassionate objectivity. Students writing papers economize their time by first filling in a quick “Plan Your Pages” sheet. Teachers will find dozens of new, proven classroom “experiments” yielding a rich experience from which words freely flow.

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50 Ways to Help You Write

50 Ways to Help You Write

by Fran Shaw PhD
50 Ways to Help You Write

50 Ways to Help You Write

by Fran Shaw PhD

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$15.95 
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Overview


An easy-to-follow guide to successful writing, from first notes to final draft. Letters, memos, proposals, resumes, news releases, term papers, articles, stories, poems, and more. Upbeat, motivating, practical. An entire writer’s workshop in one handy volume featuring specific exercises and models for all types of writing. Includes start-up sheets, checklists, review sheets, “before” and “after” versions, outdoor writing experiments, common errors in grammar and punctuation, tips for becoming your own best editor, and ten things to try when you are stuck.

Clear steps and examples bring rapid writing improvement. Based on the author’s thirty years’ experience teaching in colleges and corporations, 50 Ways to Help You Write generates vivid, effective writing.


Sample Exercises: Business writers can “follow the MBA formula” (main point, benefits, action) to organize writing. Creative writers can sit by a window or a river, follow the steps to heighten awareness, and “let nature express your theme.” Article writers learn to “freely write your gripe” with compassionate objectivity. Students writing papers economize their time by first filling in a quick “Plan Your Pages” sheet. Teachers will find dozens of new, proven classroom “experiments” yielding a rich experience from which words freely flow.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780595144891
Publisher: iUniverse, Incorporated
Publication date: 05/03/2008
Series: Hunter Knox Mysteries
Pages: 228
Product dimensions: 5.86(w) x 8.66(h) x 0.57(d)

Table of Contents

Preface
Part 1Noticing More and Having Plenty to Say
Introduction2
Experiment 1Write free-flow for the pleasure of now4
Experiment 2Walk "blind" to discover more6
Experiment 3Continuously sense each step7
Experiment 4Look for one color8
Shaping What Comes8
Part 2Freeing Material for All Kinds of Writing
Chapter 1Describing People, Places, and Things12
Experiment 5Write "three-liners" to notice what's here13
Experiment 6Compose a poem sixteen ways15
Experiment 7Where am I?19
Experiment 8Guess who's being described19
Experiment 9Create a character20
Experiment 10Sketch someone without explaining22
Experiment 11Explore your setting23
Shaping What Comes25
Describing a Place25
Describing a Person27
Chapter 2Showing What Happened30
Experiment 12Invite intense moments30
Experiment 13Travel through time32
Experiment 14Take a bird's-eye view34
Experiment 15Descend a dream stairway36
Experiment 16Listen in--how do people talk?38
Especially for Story Writers39
Experiment 17Cook up a conflict40
Experiment 18Play with point of view41
Experiment 19Picture the turning point--what happens?43
Experiment 20Let nature express your theme44
Shaping What Comes45
Five Steps for Story Writers46
Review Sheet for Stories49
Writing an Autobiographical Essay or Oral History50
Experiment 21Tell about life50
About Writing Dialogue54
About Writing Humor and Parodies56
Experiment 22Humor yourself56
Chapter 3Explaining Something58
Experiment 23Play the Graffiti Game58
Experiment 24Find sensory specifics to illustrate ideas60
Experiment 25Contrast then and now61
Experiment 26Write a humorous "how-to"63
Experiment 27Research a burning question66
Shaping What Comes68
Six Ways to Explain68
Two More Humor Options68
Chapter 4Convincing Someone71
Experiment 28Give your views about men and woman today72
Experiment 29Freely write your gripe74
Shaping What Comes76
Chapter 5Especially for Business Writers78
Experiment 30Get going with this startup sheet78
Experiment 31Send a letter that gets action80
A Model Letter82
Experiment 32Persuade with plain English83
Two Versions of the Same Memo: Which Do You Prefer?84
Experiment 33Liven up your layout86
Sample Report Using Headings and Bulleted List87
Experiment 34Get your request approved: write an "MBA" memo88
Sample Memo Requesting Approval91
Experiment 35Bring out benefits in your proposal92
Sample Proposal Done with Desktop Publishing Software95
Experiment 36Display a list of steps in your "how to" memo97
Experiment 37Summarize so decision-makers know the bottom line99
Sample Executive Summary101
Experiment 38Complain in a neutral way101
Sample Complaint Letter103
Experiment 39Buffer the bad news104
Sample "Bad News" Letter106
Experiment 40Promote your product, sell your service106
Sample Promotional Piece109
Experiment 41Make news with your press release110
Format for a Press Release112
Shaping What Comes113
Checklist for Letter Writers113
Checklist for Memo and Report Writers114
An Experiment in Writing Your Resume115
Experiment 42Redesign your resume115
List of Dynamic Verbs120
Some Model Resumes123
Model Application Letters to Accompany Your Resume127
Chapter 6Especially For Students Writing Papers131
Hints for Getting By What Stops You131
How to Organize a Paper Quickly132
Experiment 43Plan your pages132
Writing a Scientific, Technical, or Lab Report138
Experiment 44Use "There is" instead of "I think"138
Writing an Abstract or Summary140
A Sample Abstract140
Writing About Literature141
Experiment 45Immerse yourself, discover your slant141
Shaping What Comes142
Beginnings142
Middles144
Endings146
Titles146
Setting Up Quotations147
Citing Sources: Using In-text Notes Instead of Footnotes147
Writing About People, Eras, or Ideas149
Experiment 46Choose three bases of comparison149
Shaping What Comes151
Checklist for Paper Writers152
About Transitions152
Writing About Published Essays153
Experiment 47Critique an article's effectiveness153
Peer Review: Commenting on Another Student's Paper155
Part 3Finding Your Way From Notes to First Draft
How to Find What You Want to Write159
"Suppose I Have a Subject--Now What?"160
Experiment 48Ask your question, answer freely161
Experiment 49Talk in paragraphs: What's the story?162
Seven Steps to Help You Write165
Give Yourself An Encouraging Word165
Ten Things to Try When You're Stuck165
Part 4Becoming Your Own Best Editor
1Listen For Tone, Locate Rough Spots170
2Check Out Your Beginning, Middle, End, and Links Between Parts172
Check Your Order of Presentation173
Notice How You Get from Here to There174
3Tighten and Sharpen175
What Needs Tightening?176
What Needs Sharpening?178
Experiment 50Sounds confusing? Say it over coffee179
A Quick Checklist180
When To Proofread, and Why It Pays180
Proofreader's Checklist181
What About Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar?183
Some Common Mistakes to Watch For183
How to Locate and Correct a Comma Splice184
A Style Sheet for Apostrophes185
Appreciate Your Final Draft189
Glossary190
AppendixCorrect Format of Letters and Memos198
Index203
About the Author207
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