Getting the words right : how to revise, edit & rewrite / Theodore A. Rees Cheney.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cheney, Theodore A. Rees (Theodore Albert Rees), 1928-2008.

Contributor:

Gotham Book Mart Collection (University of Pennsylvania)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Editing.

English language--Rhetoric.

English language.

Penn Provenance:

Gotham Book Mart (former owner) (Gotham Book Mart Collection copy)

Physical Description:

215 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Cincinnati, Ohio : Writer's Digest Books, [1983]

Summary:

From the Blurb: Here's the book that covers it all--from dealing with trite phrases, ambiguous references, and the deadly passive verb to making sure you end up saying exactly what you mean. In Getting the Words Right, Theodore Cheney breaks down the unwieldy process called "editing" into three manageable steps: Revision by Reduction, Revision by Rearranging and Revision by Rewording. He shows you how to use each of these techniques to tackle obvious writing problems, such as awkward transitions and wordy sentences, then how to dig deeper to uncover-and fix-the hidden flaws in your emphasis, organization, and style. You'll eavesdrop on his analyses of writing samples from students, clients-even his own work-and practice taking sentences apart, reassembling them, cutting excess words, and rearranging paragraphs-all to help you replace haphazard editing attempts with an organized plan. The beauty of Cheney's system is that it applies to every piece of writing you do: memos, term papers, reports-even letters. Getting the Words Right gives you the instruction and reassurance you need to become a more skillful, confident, perceptive writer-the kind of writer who can polish a dull piece of fiction or nonfiction into sparkling prose-before your boss or editor sees it.

Contents:

Chapter 1: Revision By Reduction

Greater reductions

Lesser reductions

Micro-reductions

Reduction rules reduced

Chapter 2: Rethink And Rearrange

Unity

Coherence

Emphasis

Chapter 3: Revise By Rewording

Style

Diction

Scrutinize the verbs

Nouns/Adjectives/Adverbs

Appeal to the senses

Concrete details

Rhythm and sound

Sound

Figurative writing

Distractors and detractors

Misspellings and misuses.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 204-210) and index.

Local Notes:

Gotham Book Mart Collection copy has dustjacket retained.

Other Format:

Online version: Cheney, Theodore A. Rees (Theodore Albert Rees), 1928- Getting the words right.

ISBN:

0898791146

9780898791143

089879420X

9780898794205

OCLC:

9826575