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Try Strunk and White. Read it once a year, thinking about what you have written since the last time, and you will be ashamed and improved.
by JasonFruit 14y ago
Try Strunk and White. Read it once a year, thinking about what you have written since the last time, and you will be ashamed and improved.
- tokenadult 14y agoI have a copy of Strunk and White, but I like other advice on writing much better. The new book by Steven Pinker that is promised in Jerry Coyne's post about Pinker's project http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/steve-pinker-on-how-to-write-science/ http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/steve-pin... is a book that I expect to be especially helpful for Hacker News participants. The book isn't finished yet, but Pinker's lecture on how to write http://video.mit.edu/watch/communicating-science-and-technology-in-the-21st-century-steven-pinker-12644/ http://video.mit.edu/watch/communicating-science-and-technol... includes a convincing critique of Strunk and White. Students who have read Strunk and White should read two other critiques of Strunk and White, 1) the essay "50 Years of Stupid Grammar Advice" by Geoffrey K. Pullum, http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-Grammar/25497 http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-Grammar/2549... and 2) Adios, Strunk & White: A Handbook for the New Academic Essay by Gary and Glynis Hofman. http://www.amazon.com/Adios-Strunk-White-Handbook-Academic/dp/0937363413/ http://www.amazon.com/Adios-Strunk-White-Handbook-Academic/d...
- mej10 14y agoWow, I can't wait for Steven Pinker's book. That talk was excellent.