Saturday, February 8, 2014

Book Review: Getting the Words Right

This is an older book. I've had it on my shelves for some time, but thought it might be good to review before I prepare to make further revisions on my most recent novel (I've had one go-through at this point).  As the title suggests, Getting the Words Right: How to Revise, Edit & Rewrite, is most concerned with the editing phase of writing.

Theodore Cheney outlines the three Rs of revision: reduction, rearranging, and rewording. He encourages the writer to weed out the unnecessary, refine the sentences worth keeping, and strive for the goals of unity, coherence, and emphasis. With plenty of examples of note-worthy revision, the book walks the reader/writer through the process of polishing one's words.

This was, perhaps, not my favorite writing book of all time, but it was helpful, nonetheless. It will be a good guide as I begin this process of honing my own words to get them right. Revision is essential and I'll take all the help I can get to get the words right.

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