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Book Review: The Elements of Style

Erin Penn

Amazon Cover

BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON

You know the authors’ names. You recognize the title. You’ve probably used this book yourself. This is The Elements of Style, the classic style manual, now in a fourth edition. A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk & White is as valuable today as when it was first offered. This book’s unique tone, wit and charm have conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers. Use the fourth edition of “the little book” to make a big impact with writing.

MY REVIEW

(Review of Second Edition from 1972 – review done January 2020)
I recently ran across a recommendation to read “The Elements of Style” and discovered the book on my shelf; I must have inherited it from my parents.

This classic book, though the initial material is over 100 years old at this point, is still relevant today (with a bit of care as the language continues to evolve). The central point of The Elements of Style, writing brief, specific, powerful, and active, is as relevant today in genre fiction as when this short book was a self-published pamphlet Professor Strunk shared with his classes.

If you don’t want to slog through the Chicago Manual of Style, pick up this short book (74-pages in the version I got). It’s still a gold standard.

Flash: Character Study

Erin Penn

Image from Yuiry Bogdanov on Unsplash

He held up the wall waiting while the street remained clear. How soon the action would be, he didn’t know. Being a gumshoe had always been a waiting game. One he had never been very good at, which is why he was something other than a gumshoe now.

(word 48; first published 11/30/2023 – based on picture prompt for a Facebook writer’s group, aim is 50 words)

Memes: Write Something (Four)

Erin Penn

Time to renew the NaNoWriMo memes. These are available to all who want to use them.

(Need more writing memes in your life ?– see my previous memes under Memes: Write Something and Memes: Write Something (Two) and Memes: Write Something (Three))

No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only. No Book Cover Usage
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock (9349516i); Letitia Wright; Black Panther – 2018
THE OLD GUARD – Charlize Theron as ÓAndy”
Photo credit: Aimee Spinks/NETFLIX ©2020

Editing Rant: Read Later Becomes Read Never

Erin Penn

5401311 © Peto Zvonar | Dreamstime.com
Read Series Before They Are Done
It’s book shopping time, getting all the last minute gifts for the holidays. The question is: stand-alone or series?
Today I’m going to Rant on Series.
Many readers do not buy books until all the series is completely done, and they binge it at that time. Thing is, if the series doesn’t sell the publisher will drop the series … and the author. 
It’s a vicious cycle. Readers don’t want to read a series in case it never finishes, and no one buys the series so it never gets finished. 
“Maybe if the writer completed the series before publication?” some people ask.
Do you know how long it takes to write a series? And to do that before a single dime comes in? Not happening if the writer needs the income. And a writer who has other income sources doesn’t have the time to invest without feedback to know what they are writing is something people want to read. Unlike a day job where you show up and get paid, writing requires showing up day-in-day-out (Butt in Chair) in the HOPES that what you are writing will SOME DAY create income. If the first book of the series doesn’t capture attention, and the second only makes a tickle, then no third book will happen.
If you are able, please read as you go, both authors who are self-published (SP) and traditionally published. You see, publishers expect a drop-off in sales as a series progresses, not an increase. If the initial numbers are low, the publisher (and the self-published) will look for something to make them more money. If the initial numbers don’t pay off the first book and at least part of the second, they “know” the series will lose money and stop.
If you want a series, if you want an author to keep writing, buy it as it comes out.
Unless all the books light up with sales, there isn’t enough sales brightness to continue the writing and reading.