Stylish writing has never been much of an issue before reading Strunk and White and Williams. I personally would interpret style as being an individual refection of one’s self. In reading “The Element of Style” and “Style Toward Clarity and Grace” I learned that style isn’t necessarily just a reflection of an individual’s style but it is also how the many rules to writing are used when composing a piece. In Strunk, White and Williams’ attempts to educate formal writers on how to write stylish, understandably
The Style File: Strunk and White vs. Williams What is the definition of style? Is there an exact way of interpreting style individuals create in their writing? What is the importance and function of style in the writing process? Does style really matter? Before encountering books such as William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s “The Elements of Style” and Joesph M. Williams “Style Toward Clarity and Grace” I had not put much thought into these questions. My main focus was to get my writing assignments
rules or style principles. A handy reference guide would help her out immensely. William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s book, The Elements of Style, and Joseph Williams’ book, Style: Toward Clarity and Grace, assist writers improve their work in various ways. Strunk and Whites’ book took a simple approach, while Williams went more in-depth, with elaborate explanations and varying choices for each writing style. Strunk and White’s approach was directed towards basic principles of composition, elementary
Key Elements of Good Writing Style After reading William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Joseph M. Williams’ Style: Beyond Clarity and Grace, participating in hours of classroom discussion, and writing five short essays on the topic, I’m struck by the complexity of evaluating “writing style”. But I don’t know why I should be amazed. Borne from the elaborate human thought process, we instinctively dress up our writing in thrift-store duds or Fifth Avenue couture. Writing
causing them to explode in the mind (Strunk and White, pg. 66)?” This is true in most cases; it is not the combination of words that cause a mind to stir but the way it creates thought and stimulus that create an explosion. There is a conscious effort required to give a work of writing style. Two major contributions to the subject of “good writing” are the books Style: toward Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams and The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White. Before I explain
lists of rules about word choice, constructions to avoid, common stylistic traps, and other such things. One of these is The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White. Another type are the books that go into more detail that further explain why some things work in writing and some things don’t. Style Toward Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams would fall into this category. Although written in a different manner they share the same goal; to present some of the most important rules in
Writing Style I hear inner Strunk and White voices of “don’t overwrite”, “write in a way that comes naturally,” and so forth, going through my head. I have visions of endless Williams examples and illustrations on clarity. I see weeks of blog writings flashing through my memory. From all of this, I now own and believe in a firm and personal definition of what style is and what good writing entails. William Strunk and E.B. White’s book The Elements of Style, along with Joseph M. Williams’s
would be far too much of an oversimplification. There are many individual pieces that make style what it is. In fact, whole books have been written solely on that subject, such as "Style Toward Clarity and Grace" by Joseph M. Williams, or "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White. These texts try to pin down exactly what are the key points that make a successful style, as opposed to one not as well crafted, just as the purpose of this essay is. The first thing I think of when I
Strunk and White's Elements of Style and Joseph Williams' Style Toward Clarity and Grace When I initially thought about writing style I believed that there would be some nice neat definition, and maybe a few rules that would govern writing with “style”. It turns out that I grossly underestimated this topic and while I knew that writing style would be a topic of considerable depth, I did not fully understand the degree that I would be pondering the issue of writing with “style”. The first
Style of Writing In both of the books various elements of style are mentioned, William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Joseph M. Williams’ Style Toward Clarity and Grace, clarity and concision are to be the most important. I think that in order for your reader to be able to enjoy and understand what they are reading, it has to be written clearly and concisely. I believed that everyone has his or her own style: whether the style be that of one’s hair, clothes, or writing
These sentences could all refer to the same set of conditions, but each leads us to understand the conditions from a different point of view," (Williams, 45). It is always a good idea to start out small; take a sentence and make is clear. This then needs to be applied to groups of sentences together to make the whole sample of writing clear. Strunk and White had a lot of good advice about how to make writing clear and concise. One good point made in the book was about dialogue. When there is
Toward Clarity and Grace” by Joseph Williams and “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk and E.B. White, I realized that style is not as unique as I thought. In fact, as I stated in my blog space, “writing has certain rules and elements that must be incorporated in to our writing in order to make our points clear to those we want to read it. Since these elements and rules are common to all writing, then style and good writing bring forth new meanings.” Strunk and White start their style guide
Key Elements of Style William Strunk and E.B. White's handbook The Elements of Style, and Joseph Williams's book Style Toward Clarity and Grace, are both full of good tips on how to improve writing style. The Elements of Style has some good information on how to make writing more vigorous and forceful, but it also contains a lot of opinions on word choice that seem frivolous. Although the advice may not be helpful, Strunk and White's strongly worded opinions are part of what makes their book
A Writer's Choice "The words we use to communicate our impressions cannot alone constitute a vocabulary sufficient to describe style, but they are part of one…" (Williams 18-19). This excerpt from Joseph M. Williams' Style Toward Clarity and Grace conveys a common theme in his book: Style is complex, and it is a matter of choice. Although writers across the nation may have been taught similar features of style and therefore produce similar products, they may choose to use or disregard those
Style: Strunk & White vs. Williams Writing correctly is something that many people find hard to do! I know this, because I use to feel the same way. I have had many English classes in my time, where teachers would sit next to me, and correct my errors sentence by sentence as I went along. All the while asking me if I understood what why what I did was wrong. I remember saying that I understood, but I really didn't. That was something that I didn't like at the time, but I am now very appreciative
punctuation? Be specific about what you want the reader to do Be clear about the status of the report and what you expect from the reader. Is it a final report with recommendations for consideration and decision? Is it a draft for comment? Adapted from Strunk and White, The Elements of Style (1979) McMillan, NY • What is the reason for understanding the principles of good verbal communications? PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION Communication is a two-way process of giving and receiving information through any
Hank Williams Jr. Hank Williams, Jr. was meant to be a superstar from the day he was born. His father, the legendary Hank Williams, and mother, Audrey Sheppard, both played an intricate part in his early stardom. Hank had to overcome many obstacles in his life including escaping from his father's shadow and a near death experience in 1975. Hank's many triumphs, and his ability to overcome setbacks, have propelled him to a legendary status. Born May 26, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana, Randall
The Most Important Element of Style I've collected numerous ideas from both Joseph William's book Style Toward Clarity and Grace and William Strunk and E.B. White's The Elements of Style. These books serve as reference guides to writers seeking guidance in improving their writing skills. I feel the text format of any writing is the most important element of style. The text layout in regards to style deals with font, size and contrast. The font makes the text. You are able to change the
The Elements of Style written by William Strunk and E.B. White, and Style: Toward Clarity and Grace written by Jospeh Williams both offer suggestions for establishing the comprehensive application of literary techniques and style. Each book, constructed differently, focuses on various areas of writing through comprehensive basic rules and guidelines. These books specifically identify the basic foundation for writing rules of usage, principle composition and offer suggestions for different types of
For anyone interested in entering the workforce or changing careers; good communication and grammar skills are invaluable. With advances in technology grammar skills in the work place are more important than ever. Anyone who applies for a job should use the Occupation Outlook Handbook to understand the commutation skill for their future career. I have found this source very useful in learning the writing and speaking skills needed for my further career as a Forensic Science Technician. There are