Product Description

Writing with Power is a guide for the student writing an essay, the professional writer working on a story, or the manager writing a memo for a tight deadline. As Elbow explains, "Writing with power doesn't just mean getting power over readers. It means getting power over yourself and over the writing process: knowing what you are doing as you write; figuring out what you really mean; being in charge, having control; not feeling stuck or helpless or intimidated. I am particularly interested in this second kind of power in writing, and I have found that without it you seldom achieve the first kind". For the second edition, Elbow has written a new introduction in which he discusses in detail the "mysterious" dimensions of "Writing with Power" - voice, quality and bad writing, wrongness and felt sense, and sharing written work with others.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #151567 in Books
• Published on: 1998-08-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Customer Reviews

This book gave me my job
It is in fact very simple: This book - or rather, an older, former edition of it - was given to me as a birthday present ten years ago. Ever since I have been writing. Writingwritingwriting. Today I am a professionel prose writer. Writing is how I make my living. I write fiction, essays, feature-, science-, and literary journalism in Denmarks leading newspaper. But it all began with this book. With its fine "questions to help you write about ..." (e.g. Is your problem a type of insanity? Do you need to take a pill, or to be cared for and nursed while living trough the madness). With its fundamental division between being creative and being discriminating. With its very clear and - frankly - choking ways of presenting things in a way that can make you believe in yourself. I found the book here on the net, because I am going to buy it. My first copy was almost used up, when I lented it to someone who didn't return it. No wonder. But, Rebecca, when you are finished could you pass it on? Please. Someone else might need it.