The Technique of clear writing PDF

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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 18, 2016

The Techniques of Clear Writing (revised 1968) by Robert Gunning emphasizes ten principles for clarity in writing. I learned from the book and recommend it to others. The book leans toward writing for newspaper and magazines, but I think everyone (writers of all genres) can benefit from Robert Gunning's excellent book. The contents of the book are as follows.
Part One: What Your Reader Wants
-- The Fight Against Fog
-- What Every Writer Should Know about Readers
-- Readability Yardsticks
Part Two: Ten Principles of Clear Writing
-- Principle One: Keep Sentences Short
-- Principle Two: Prefer the Simple to the Complex
-- Principle Three: Prefer the Familiar Word
-- Principle Four: Avoid Unnecessary Words
-- Principle Five: Put Action in Your Verbs
-- Principle Six: Write Like You Talk
-- Principle Seven: Use Terms Your Readers Can Picture
-- Principle Eight: Tie In with Your Reader's Experience
-- Principle Nine: Make Full Use of Variety
-- Principle Ten: Writer to Express Not Impress
Part Three: Causes and Cures
--The Fog in Your Newspaper
-- Business Writing
-- Legal Prose
-- Technical Writing
Appendixes
-- Readability Analysis of Gettysburg Address
-- Dale List of 3,000 Familiar Words
-- The Short for the Long

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 1, 2015

This is a good source on how to write clearly and concisely. The book has been out of print for several years. This was a used book. I attended a series of classes conducted by Gunning prior to his publishing the book. I had lost my notes and was happy to find this.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 12, 2005

There are a very few books on writing that make a significant and immediate impact, and this is one of them. The experience of reading it is like a paradigm-shift of your thinking about how to express yourself clearly and effectively in print. Gunning also researched what makes readers happy and unhappy, turns them on-and turns them off. You would think writers would have mastered the lessons in this book during the fifty-plus years it's been around; but they havent. And once you read this book youll notice awful writing everywhere! Grab a copy!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 1, 2014

Bought this for a friend....was told that this was just what she was looking for. They arrived on time and the price was nice.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 29, 2015

I used this book with students teaching military writing.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 7, 2015

I first got to know Robert Gunning's classic work as a Boston-based editor for the Christian Science Monitor during the 1960s, and it remains a treasure on my bookshelves today. Our editor-in-chief at the time presented all staff members with a copy, and today I recommend it to European English students in Switzerland, where I work. Gunning's 10 commandments began with "Keep sentences short". That's still a valuable lesson for Swiss-Germans, as is his 2nd commandment: "Prefer the simple to the complex*. The author's principles remain just as timely for his fellow Americans, where the SMS has sacrificed clarity for brevity (RUOK? IM) Gunning has earned every star in the sky (plus the five I offer him above)! Lyn Shepard, Berne

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 9, 2014

I purchased this book in the 1960s. By following the ideas in this book I've had a very successful career as a writer and editor. When I was working for a large corporation writing proposals for new business this is the technique I used. I was praised for my writing by a Vice President. I'm buying this book to give to a young author just getting started. I know it will help her.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 24, 2009

Consider this another "echo". I read (studied) this book when it first came out. I consider Gunning my Lord. The sad news is; I see violations of Gunning's rules everywhere, and so often I wonder if some authors know Gunning and just hate him. Ops. It's time for my worship service.

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