Waveland Press - Words' Worth - Write Well and Prosper, Second Edition, by Terri Brooks, Mary Quigley

What makes an effective quote? How can I infuse my writing with style and voice? How can a sharp lead kick-start my story? What are the tricks to writing for the Web? What can I do to get an editor to listen to my idea? These topics and more are handled smartly, succinctly, and simply in the latest edition of Words’ Worth, an invaluable toolkit for writers aspiring to perfect the craft of nonfiction writing. Brooks and Quigley’s expert views on the essence of a feature story give struggling beginners, their teachers, and professional writers alike the tools necessary to create powerful writing. As a precise guide to writing and promoting nonfiction, Words’ Worth furnishes a map to the world of reporting for the Web and blogging, well-crafted exercises to hone skills, and savvy advice to help writers enrich their style and make their work more marketable.

“A worthy addition to the small group of graceful instructional books on writing, Words’ Worth tackles all the tough writing problems, from writing transitions to gathering quotes to developing a distinctive voice.” — David Rubin, Professor and Dean Emeritus, S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University

“Words’ Worth provides exactly the clear information someone starting out needs. It’s chock full of useful examples of great writing, followed by clear analyses of why they work. There are practical (and fun) exercises at the end of the chapters that new and experienced writers will find invaluable to build essential skills.” — Miriam Arond, Director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute and former Editor in Chief of Child Magazine

1. The Lead
Anecdotal / Descriptive / Quote / Summation / Tease / Zinger

2. Transitions
Time / Place / Mood Changers / Repetition / Emphatics / Pings / Quotes

3. Verbs
Never Use Weak Verbs When Strong Ones Will Do / Never Use Passive Voice When Active Voice Will Do / Never Use the Past Tense When the Present Tense Will Do / Never Use Big or Awkward Verbs When Little Ones Will Do / Never Use Adverbs to Shore Up Weak Verbs / Never Carelessly Switch Verb Tenses / Never Violate Subject-Verb Agreement / Never Give In to Pronoun Misuse

4. Description
Train Yourself to Observe / Put It All Together

5. Quotes
The Best Kinds of Quotes / How to Handle Quotes in Copy / What to Do with Lots of Quotes / Thoughts on Altering a Quote / How to Get Good Quotes: The 13 Steps to Success / How the Pros Handle Quotes

6. Voice
Finding Your Voice / The Power of Voice / Establishing Your Point of View / Losing Your Way / Combining Voice and Language

7. The Weave
The Nut / The Anecdote / The Synopsis / Boring But Important (BBI) Information / The End

8. Doing It
Getting the Idea / Researching / Clearing Your Mind / Organizing / Writing / Editing

9. Freelancing
On Spec vs. On Assignment / Finding the Right Market: Three Steps to Success / Querying the Editor / Writing the Query / The Follow-Up / Know When to Move On / Trust Editors / Your Rights and Responsibilities

10. Writing for the Web
Writing for the Web: Six Tools for Success / Creating Your Own Blog / Digital Media: The Beginning of the Future