Sign in with Facebook
Adam's Reviews > Revising Prose
Revising Prose
by
by
Lanham's Revising Prose is short and to the point. His method is clear and logical, and it's easy to see what he's trying to help readers avoid. The Official Style, as he styles it, is the way textbooks, school reports, and far too many academic works are written. It is noun-centered, and uses many prepositional phrases and passive constructions to mask its meaning. His analysis in the final chapter of why the Official Style has arisen and why it is bad is particularly well written. He seems to have had a very keen intellect.
I would recommend this for anyone uncomfortable with their prose, as I was. I feel like I don't make many of the more overt mistakes he discusses, although I'm sure my style leans more toward the Official Style than I'd like. But it has given me a place to start, a way to think about my writing that no previous tutor, class, or book has given me. It's short and worth its time.
"If you want to write well, you've got to read widely and with attention. It is just like life. If you don't pay attention, you'll give yourself away. The small mistakes are often the largest."
I would recommend this for anyone uncomfortable with their prose, as I was. I feel like I don't make many of the more overt mistakes he discusses, although I'm sure my style leans more toward the Official Style than I'd like. But it has given me a place to start, a way to think about my writing that no previous tutor, class, or book has given me. It's short and worth its time.
"If you want to write well, you've got to read widely and with attention. It is just like life. If you don't pay attention, you'll give yourself away. The small mistakes are often the largest."
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
Revising Prose.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
February 16, 2010
– Shelved
February 18, 2010
–
Started Reading
February 21, 2010
–
Finished Reading
March 28, 2010
– Shelved as:
writing
March 28, 2010
– Shelved as:
mudd-library
January 9, 2013
– Shelved as:
non-fiction
Comments Showing 1-2 of 2 (2 new)
date
newest »
newest »
I have tried, but I can never really do it for some reason. I don't see myself making the mistakes his Paramedic Method aims to fix. That seems arrogant of me, and I'm sure I'm just beholden of what I've written and thus blinded to its flaws. Not that I think I'm a good writer yet. I am trying to convince myself my writing isn't as bad as I feel like it is the moment I write it. I usually end up feeling much more proud of it with a few months perspective.
I recommend taking the time.