Learning from one of the best

WRITING

Note:  In the spring of 1981 I first read the book On Writing Well by William Zinsser.  Since that time, I got a new copy each time a new edition came out and read it again.  It is the best I can recommend on communicating effectively in writing. I have written about Zinsser on several occasions, and the following piece was printed in the Jefferson City News Tribune on March 18, 2012:

by David Wilson

Last week in this space we discussed the importance of students having opportunities to learn to write well.  By practicing writing, students develop a skill essential for success and can enhance their learning in any subject area.

William Zinsser is a lifelong journalist and nonfiction writer who has much to say along these lines.

His classic book On Writing Well has been through multiple editions and sold more than a million copies. It is a cherished favorite, not just for writers, but for educators, for students, for those in business, and for anyone who wants to clearly communicate.

Zinsser began his career in 1946 at the New York Herald Tribune. His resume includes free-lance work for several magazines, authoring 18 books, teaching at Yale University, and in more recent years, writing a weekly blog.

He writes with clarity about how writing should be a tool for conveying ideas.

His book Writing to Learn, published in 1988, has a number of insights worth examining.

Zinsser contends that if you can think clearly, you can write clearly, about any subject at all. That’s good news for students who shy away from writing projects, as well as for teachers who aren’t accustomed to teaching writing skills in their area of expertise.

Zinsser has a vast experience in the craft of writing, but has also helped colleges implement writing across the entire curriculum.

Teaching writing in all subject areas is important, he said, because writing itself is important to individual success.

“Far too many Americans are prevented from doing good useful work,” he wrote, “because they never learned to express themselves. Contrary to general belief, writing isn’t something that only ‘writers’ do; writing is a basic skill for getting through life.”

Many individuals, both students and adults, approach writing with some apprehension because they are not used to doing it, but Zinsser said writing is simply “thinking on paper.”

When students write and re-write, it forces them to think and re-think.

Zinsser wrote, “…in the national furor over ‘why Johnny can’t write,’ let’s not forget to ask why Johnny also can’t learn. The two are connected. Writing organizes and clarifies our thoughts.”

Zinsser makes some very good points, and they must be considered in the discussion about how American schools can improve.

David Wilson, EdD, is a communications director and former high school principal. His book Learning Every Day is available on Amazon.com. You may email him at ledauthor@gmail.com.