Kerry's Reviews > Writing to Learn: How to Write--And Think--Clearly about Any Subject at All

This book was an interesting read, especially if you deal with writers in a professional sense as an editor or as a writer. That said, it is not a how-to guide. What it does is get the reader thinking about how writing can complement and supplement a person's understanding of any subject. As a writer, I'm not sure this book did much for me. As an editor, I found it enlightening, interesting, and enjoyable. It's easy to suggest to someone that thoughts need to be put down in an orderly fashion and convey personality, humanity, and enthusiasm for the subject--and in an editing capacity, the editor can objectively help the writer gain her footing when the foundation shifts; as a writer, though, well . . . doing what Zinsser suggests is the difficult part. This book doesn't tell the reader how to do anything, but it does give examples of others who have done it brilliantly in case examples are needed.