Beyond Strunk and White: Best books for modern writers

October 4, 3:28 AMBook ExaminerMichelle Kerns

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   A tome that has outlived its time?

Since its initial publication in 1918, high school and college English teachers have universally treated The Elements of Style (originally written by William Strunk Jr., added to and revised by the inimitable E.B. White) as if it were something that Moses left behind on Mount Sinai along with the Ten Commandments. Its eleven rules of punctuation and grammar, eleven principles of writing, eleven matters of form, and twenty-one pointers regarding style have formed the boundaries that have instructed and reined in student writing for decades.

However, many modern writers (me included) are starting to wonder whether Strunk and White is the best writing handbook for the brave new world of writing and literature that has emerged with the rise of the internet.

Strunk and White advocate an extremely staid sort of style: White tells writers to, "Prefer the standard to the offbeat," and to avoid the use of slang words at all costs. In fact, the feel of the writing both Strunk and White canonize in The Elements of Style is exactly the opposite of the type of writing that modern readers want: edgy, highly creative, and full of hip modern references.

Here are my recommendations for writers looking for writing instruction books that go very much beyond Strunk and White:

 

Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose - Constance Hale

In Sin and Syntax, Hale doesn't just fully instruct readers on every aspect of grammar; she also uses lively, modern examples to give readers an idea of when breaking the rules isn't just permissible but recommended. If you think grammar books are as dull as watching a tree grow, you will be pleasantly surprised by this book. Hale's writing is as good as her advice: always grammatically correct but imaginative and entertaining.

 

Spunk & Bite: A Writer's Guide to Punchier, More Engaging Language & Style - Arthur Plotnik

If I could make every writer read one book, it would be this one. In his introduction, Plotnik details why Strunk & White is a tome that has outlived its time; throughout the rest of the book, he goes on to show readers what modern writing should be like. Each part of speech and linguistic technique is highlighted and thorougly discussed. The book is an absolute delight to read since Plotnik's writing is as humorous and creative as he recommends all writers should strive for.  

 

The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: The Ulimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed - Karen Elizabeth Gordon

The title really says it all--I guarantee this will be the most riveting grammar book you will ever come across. Learn grammar from the most basic to the most obscure and arcane rules assisted by retro and, in some cases, highly suggestive black and white pictures and sample sentences that you would be as likely to see in Strunk and White as a birth control pill in the Vatican. For instance, in the section on interjections, Gordon's sample sentences include: "Goodness! What a wallop you pack!" "Wow! What unattainable bliss we've nearly achieved!" and "My god! I must remember your name!" For interrogative pronouns, Gordon's examples include: "Which is my fiance?" "What happens now?" "Whom did I marry?" "Whose are these shoes?" This is probably the only grammar book in existence that I would recommend be reserved for mature readers only; that is, unless you're planning on using it as a text in your child's sex education.

 

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life - Anne Lamott

While this book doesn't address specific grammar rules or give writers hard advice on how to produce successful pieces, it is the best and most honest description of the writer's life you'll find anywhere. Lamott is as transparent with her failures, her griefs, and her joys as if you, the reader, were her closest friend. Her writing is fresh and original; frankly, if I could write just like her I would sing in the streets. We can't all have a wise mentor to help us along in our writing careers; however, Bird by Bird is the next best thing.

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