First You Write a Sentence
The Elements of Reading, Writing . . . and Life
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4.0 • 4 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
“Do you want to write clearer, livelier prose? This witty primer will help.” —The New York Times Book Review
An exploration of how the most ordinary words can be turned into verbal constellations of extraordinary grace through the art of building sentences
The sentence is the common ground where every writer walks. A good sentence can be written (and read) by anyone if we simply give it the gift of our time, and it is as close as most of us will get to making something truly beautiful. Using minimal technical terms and sources ranging from the Bible and Shakespeare to George Orwell and Maggie Nelson, as well as scientific studies of what can best fire the reader's mind, author Joe Moran shows how we can all write in a way that is clear, compelling and alive.
Whether dealing with finding the ideal word, building a sentence, or constructing a paragraph, First You Write a Sentence informs by light example: much richer than a style guide, it can be read not only for instruction but for pleasure and delight. And along the way, it shows how good writing can help us notice the world, make ourselves known to others, and live more meaningful lives. It's an elegant gem in praise of the English sentence.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Less style guide than extended meditation on the sentence as written communication's basic building block, this is a heartfelt but sometimes overwrought affair. Moran, an English and Cultural History professor at Liverpool John Moores University, emphasizes that form is just as important as content. He provides many pieces of useful advice: the passive voice can be used effectively if done carefully; avoid using adjectives unnecessarily (as "hollow intensifiers") and instead use them to "make a noun more specific"; and don't discount writing as easy it is work. He makes persuasive arguments for the virtues of succinct, plain writing and for a more ornate style without definitively favoring either the key is to be adept at whichever is chosen. His own florid style, however, often gets in the way, and he falters when not directly addressing style points. An appendix of "20 Sentences on Sentences" seems more like a fortune cookie compendium than sound advice on composition. ("Train your ears, for how a sentence sounds in the head is also what it says to the heart.") Anyone who has waxed poetic about good writing will enjoy parts of Moran's book, but tolerance for the complete package will depend on the individual reader.
