Write Better Right Now: The Reluctant Writer's Guide to Confident Communication and Self-Assured Style

by Arthur H Garrison, Tanya Eby (Read by)

Overview

In almost any career, you must know how to write-even if it's not part of your job description. But if you're a reluctant writer, producing even the simplest email may be a struggle. Write Better Right Now is the springboard to get you ahead in any job, passion project, or situation that requires writing skills. No matter what you are called upon to do-blog posts, speeches, web content, press releases, or more-this step-by-step manual gives you the solid techniques you need to get the task done. Write Better Right Now works because it is: Short-It takes a concise approach, from first thoughts to final edits, and its mix-and-match structure means you only have to read the sections you need. Practical-It is loaded with summations, short cuts, tips, cheat sheets, and hands-on exercises. Solution-Driven-Knowing where you've gone wrong is half the battle. Write Better Right Now offers you the tools to identify your own problem patterns and choose the quickest and most appropriate fixes. You can improve your writing today. With straightforward guidance, Write Better Right Now is the quick read for productive people who need to create clear and crisp communication-right now.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781531868116
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	02/06/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 5.50(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Mary-Kate Mackey is an award-winning writer, speaker, and teacher. Write Better Right Now is based on the tools and techniques she developed during her 14 years of teaching at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication, and shared in popular writing workshops across the United States. As a professional journalist, her byline has appeared on more than 200 articles for national magazines, newspapers, and websites, including Sunset, the Christian Science Monitor, Horticulture, and Fine Gardening. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.

Table of Contents

Introduction 11

Section 1 Think 15

Chapter 1 Get to the Point 19

Writing Problem: I don't know where to start!

Rx: Answer three questions about people, problems, and promise

Chapter 2 Copy, Copy, Copy 33

Writing Problem: I don't know how to write what I have to write

Rx: Copy first, create later

Chapter 3 The Dreaded Theme Statement 47

Writing Problem: My writing ideas are wandering and unfocused

Rx: Create a cable-car sentence to take you where you want to go

Section 2 Structure 59

Chapter 4 Story Arc to the Rescue 61

Writing Problem: My writing is boring and flat.

Rx: Climb the story arc

Chapter 5 The Hero's Journey 73

Writing Problem: I've got a real-life story. How do I tell it?

Rx: Borrow a structure from the fictional Hero's Journey

Chapter 6 Other Structures, Other Forms 95

Writing Problem: I'm not telling a story. What structure should I use?

Rx: Twelve structures get the job clone

Chapter 7 Constructing the Personal Essay 113

Writing Problem: I need to tell a story from my point of view

Rx: Use the personal essay structure-yes, there is one

Section 3 Edit 135

Chapter 8 The Big-Picture Edit 135

Writing Problem: How do I know what to keep and what to cut?

Rx: Snap your Ideas into line with a long-view edit

Chapter 9 The Medium-Focus Edit 147

Writing Problem: I've done my big-picture edit, but my writing still feels weak

Rx: Four fast tactics help you create clarity and power

Chapter 10 Pointer Sentences Put You in Charge 161

Writing Problem My writing jumps from thought to thought

Rx: Add pointer sentences to guide your reader

Chapter 11 The Close-Up Edit 175

Writing Problem: I don't catch my grammar/spelling/usage mistakes

Rx: Tackle picky details with these simple suggestions

Chapter 12 Help Yourself by Helping Someone Else 199

Writing Problem: My writing isn't improving fast enough

Rx: Try a group

Resources 211

Index 219

About the Author 223