As I mentioned in a previous class, here are some books that no professional
writer should be without:
The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
-The Bible for nonfiction writers and the ultimate bathroom read. Confused about
writing in an active voice? How to omit needless words? Proper use of a hyphen?
It’s all here in 85 short but powerful pages. Can order here.
A free online version of the first edition of the book can be found here.
On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction, by William Zinsser
- Timeless advice on how to start a story, how to end a story, conduct an
interview, write for a specific audience, writing for business, science, sports or
humor stories. The “Bits & Pieces” section on proper use of verbs, adverbs,
adjectives, punctuation and paragraphs also deserves a hallowed spot in your
bathroom next to “The Elements of Style.”
Can order here.
The Art and Craft of Feature Writing, by William E. Blundell
-Based on The Wall Street Journal Guide, it’s an invaluable guide for any
journalist on how to shape a story idea, gather raw materials, plan and execute
reporting and writing, and how to self-edit before turning in copy.
Can order here.
Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers’ Guide
-An incredibly rich collection of advice and tips from some of the best non-fiction
writers in the business who have lectured through the Nieman Foundation at
Harvard University. If you want to learn straight from Pulitzer Prize winners (in
addition, of course, to reading Pulitzer Prize winning stories), you can find it here.
Can order here.
For native Chinese speakers (from the syllabus):
Understanding English Grammar: A Course Book for Chinese Learners of
English
The news writing you will do in this course is an opportunity to improve your
general command of written English. We urge local and mainland students to
obtain a copy of “Understanding English Grammar: A Course Book for Chinese
Learners of English,” which is available at the Hong Kong University Press
Showroom behind the HKU Library. This is a book with easy-to-follow exercises
designed particularly for Chinese students for whom English is a second
language.
Can also order here.