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Best Writing Skill Reference

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression
One of the biggest problem areas for writers is conveying a character's emotions to the reader in a unique, compelling way. Angela and Becca also co-founded their popular Writers Helping Writers site, a hub where authors can hone their craft, as well as One Stop For Writers , an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.
Reviews
"In my opinion, this guide could be useful to both new and experienced writers of fiction. For the former, this is an amazing resource for learning how to write convincing characters and see how emotions translate into writing (then, hopefully, provoking sympathy, empathy, or whatever feeling you wish to evoke in the reader). For the latter, I would say that this can easily be a go-to reference for experienced writers to shake things up a bit and to avoid the long hours of research it would require to do the legwork already done in this guide."
"An extremely helpful resource."
"An absolutely awesome reference book for those who are writing or acting."
"It digs deep by talking not only about external signs, but internal as well, giving writers significantly more to play with in the wording of their novels."
"I'll definitely look to this when I'm stuck on just what emotion a character should be feeling."
"I've long been a fan of Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi's blog, The Bookshelf Muse, as it offers great tools and resources for writers. From "Adoration" to "Worry", each entry includes the definition, physical signals, internal sensations, mental responses, emotional cues, and a writer's tip. For example, the physical signals for Loneliness include a longing gaze, sullenness, talking to oneself, a heavy sigh, and two dozen other ways to illustrate a lonely character."
"I write screenplays, focusing on additional aspects which leave emotions out on a ledge where I can poke them with a stick and hope I get the correct response."
"No book can elevate a writer to a whole new category of excellence, but this book is helpful when I just want to jar some fresh ideas loose."
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The Elements of Style
This edition of 'The Elements of Style' details eight elementary rules of usage, ten elementary principles of composition, "a few matters of form", and a list of commonly misused words and expressions. Here, succinctly, elegantly and without fuss are the essentials of writing clear, correct English. - Los Angeles Times "While The Elements of Style has never lacked fans or dutiful adherents, appreciation for this slim volume has taken a turn toward the whimsical and even surreal."
Reviews
"edition (the one with the blue cover that is expanded) and I own the 3rd edition (which is not expanded). I've always struggled with being concise in my writing, and this book is THE book to help you maximize your writing."
"Classic book, I don't know one better."
"I bought this for a family member who is writing a book."
"It is by-far the best book book for conveying a message with concision and clarity."
"If you are a writer and need some quick referencing for your style and answered questions about how to use elements of structure in the literary world, this book is perfect."
"William Strunk's original guide, before the modern updates by E. B."
"A beginner or novice needs another book on writing that includes those aspects of the written english language."
"Anyone who even thinks about wanting to write should have this book on the nighttable, or within easy reach of brief periodic readings. The underlying point, like all good English books, is that there really is no new way to say, "it is," although overuse of "be" is a detriment to vivid writing."
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The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need: A One-Stop Source for Every Writing Assignment
Using dozens of examples, The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need provides guidelines for: Understanding the parts of speech and elements of a sentence Avoiding the most common grammar and punctuation mistakes Using correct punctuating in every sentence Writing clearly and directly Approaching writing projects, whether big or small. She edits and publishes Class Act, a national magazine that features grammar, writing, and ideas for English teachers, and has written more than fifty articles on English instruction, as well as a number of study guides. If a sentence contains a misplaced or dangling modifier or is essentially illogical, it becomes confusing at best and ludicrous at worst. This chapter will give you some pointers for looking critically at your sentence construction as well as the tools to fix any problems you find. The way the sentence is written, the ambulance driver is barely speaking—but surely that’s not what the writer meant. Witnesses reported that the woman was driving the getaway car with flowing black hair. Witnesses reported that the woman with flowing black hair was driving the getaway car. Mrs. Anderson could not stop thinking about her sick baby running in the six-mile road race. The clause running in the six-mile road race is out of place; it should be closer to the noun it modifies (Mrs. Anderson).
Reviews
"The problem is that often the description is useful, but the example given is so incredibly bad that one wonders if they missed something. For instance, in the section on plural possessives, the author correctly points out that plural possessives are usually formed with an apostrophe but not 's' on the end. All that noise related only tangentially to the actual point—how to punctuate plural possessives, NOT how to find plural nouns (as if finding the word with the "s" on the end is like divining water or casting magic spells). My guess is that readers will be more rather than less confused after reading this section. Meanwhile, the author adds sections about predicates, gerunds, and similar concepts that most beginning students will find quite difficult to understand because they are more nuanced than simple subject–verb constructions."
"I would suggest purchasing The McGraw-HIll Book of English Grammar and Usage, along with this book and workbook, should you need more explanations on some of the topics. However, I will say that the commonly misspelled words in this book is more comprehensive than any other grammar books I've taken a look at recently."
"Small enough to fit in a purse or bag and easy to read/find what you need quickly."
"Excellent book on Grammar, with this one, you won't need any other!"
"It is just what I needed with my studies in the bible."
"Using this text for a homeschool study skills class."
"Purchase it to review English grammar."
"Arrived quickly and as described."
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Best Poetry Writing Reference

The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within
Stephen Fry believes that if one can speak and read English, one can write poetry. In this delightfully erudite, charming and soundly pedagogical guide to poetic form, British actor (narrator of the Harry Potter movies, among other roles), novelist and secret poet Fry leads the reader through a series of lessons on meter, rhythm, rhyme and stanza length and reveals the structural logic of every imaginable poetic form, including the haiku, the ballad, the ode and the sonnet. Inviting readers to study the wealth of choices of form available in the world's major poetic traditions, Fry himself pens intentionally vapid yet entertaining poems that demonstrate each form's rules and patterning, and ends each lesson with wittily devised exercises for readers.
Reviews
"Fry brings to life the recognized prosody of classic forms."
"Best introduction to prosody I've found."
"Great read, but I'm biased -- big fan for years. The big palooka had me at ."
"I must admit I really do enjoy reading anything by Stephen Fry (ditto books by C S Lewis, but that's besides the point) and I learnt a lot from this book on poetry."
"This book was recommended to me because I was teaching a poetry section and wanted to find a way to make what can seem arcane and obscure available to students and this book does that brilliantly."
"He has certainly provided the essential keys to unlock the door for any poetaster to hone his skills and join the ranks of the great poets of the ages."
"The book is well written and shows Fry's clever turn of phrase in a casual manner that makes the reader feel as if it's a personal conversation."
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Best Journalism Writing Reference

The Smear: How Shady Political Operatives and Fake News Control What You See, What You Think, and How You Vote
The New York Times bestselling author of Stonewalled pulls back the curtain on the shady world of opposition research and reveals the dirty tricks those in power use to influence your opinions. Behind most major political stories in the modern era, there is an agenda; an effort by opposition researchers, spin doctors, and outside interests to destroy an idea or a person. Now, the hard-hitting investigative reporter shares her inside knowledge, revealing how the Smear takes shape and who its perpetrators are—including Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal and, most influential of all, "right-wing assassin turned left-wing assassin" ( National Review ) political operative David Brock and his Media Matters for America empire. Maybe you watched someone on the news report that Donald Trump is a racist misogynist, read that Hillary Clinton used a body double, or heard that Bernie Sanders cheated in the primary. Now hard-hitting investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson, the New York Times bestselling author of Stonewalled , takes you behind the scenes of the modern smear machine, exploring how operatives from corporations and both sides of the political aisle have manipulated a complicit mainstream media to make disinformation, rumor, and dirty tricks defining traits of our democracy. Pulling back the curtain on the shady world of opposition research, she reveals how those in power create well-funded, organized attack campaigns to take down their enemies and influence your opinions, offering a detailed examination of the think tanks, super PACs, LLCs, and nonprofits that have become the hidden backers of some of the biggest smears in American politics. Attkisson hosts the Sunday morning national TV news program "Full Measure," which focuses on investigative and accountability reporting.For thirty years, Attkisson was a correspondent and anchor at CBS News, PBS, CNN and in local news.In 2013, she received an Emmy Award for OutstandingInvestigative Journalism for her reporting on "The Business of Congress," whichincluded an undercover investigation into fundraising by Republican freshmen.She received two other Emmy nominations in 2013 for "Benghazi: Dying forSecurity" and "Green Energy Going Red."
Reviews
"The consumer of news is “pummeled by countless narratives—some based on grains of truth; others wholly invented for the audience.”. The author warns news consumers to be cautious even if all the media outlets are parroting the same line: “Today, if enough pundits, operatives, and media parrot the same narrative, it becomes incorporated into the fabric of the news as an accepted fact.”. And yet, smear campaigns are not new—they are as old as the Republic: “Our founding fathers knew very well the power of a sharp character assassination . “The Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination showed both sides that the best way to fight a smear might not be to take a defensive posture—but to mount an offensive countersmear.”. Attkisson is careful to define what she means by “smear.” It’s not the dissemination of falsehoods, so much as exaggeration: “Expert smear artists take a sprinkle of truth—in this case Imus’s objectionable comments—and pervert it into a weapon of mass destruction to advance a larger goal, often political or financial.” Smear campaigns take something that is true and "amplify a misdeed out of proportion.”. For me, one of the most fascinating sections was the explanation of a variation of smear called “Astroturf.” In this variation, the pros pretend they are ordinary folks: “Paid interests disguised as ordinary people troll assigned topics, news sites, reporters, blogs, and social media for the purpose of posting comments that spin and confuse.” The idea is to “give the impression there’s widespread support for or against an agenda when there’s not.”. Attkisson concludes with this sobering warning: “One thing you can count on is that most every image that crosses your path has been put there for a reason."
"It provides the insight and evidence that we've come to expect in her reporting, and opens the curtains of the smear industry so we might peer in and be prepared to spot when the smear is in play (hint...it's everywhere!)."
"This book documents political smear campaigns, behind-the-scenes coordination between the press and political campaigns and other special interests, and efforts by our own government to manipulate the news, influence public opinion, and punish whistleblowers. Although some events in the book go back to the 1990's, most of the information pertains to events of the last ten years, with the emphasis on the 2016 presidential campaign and its aftermath. Worst of all, our own government seems to be an active player in much of this. Many op-eds that you read on the editorial page are not written by the person whose byline appears beneath them, but by activists working for political campaigns, corporations, and special-interest groups. The Obama Department of Justice and other Obama agencies targeted reporters, stonewalled investigations, and maintained behind-the-scenes relationships with special interests."
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Best Grammar Reference

The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need: A One-Stop Source for Every Writing Assignment
Using dozens of examples, The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need provides guidelines for: Understanding the parts of speech and elements of a sentence Avoiding the most common grammar and punctuation mistakes Using correct punctuating in every sentence Writing clearly and directly Approaching writing projects, whether big or small. She edits and publishes Class Act, a national magazine that features grammar, writing, and ideas for English teachers, and has written more than fifty articles on English instruction, as well as a number of study guides. If a sentence contains a misplaced or dangling modifier or is essentially illogical, it becomes confusing at best and ludicrous at worst. This chapter will give you some pointers for looking critically at your sentence construction as well as the tools to fix any problems you find. The way the sentence is written, the ambulance driver is barely speaking—but surely that’s not what the writer meant. Witnesses reported that the woman was driving the getaway car with flowing black hair. Witnesses reported that the woman with flowing black hair was driving the getaway car. Mrs. Anderson could not stop thinking about her sick baby running in the six-mile road race. The clause running in the six-mile road race is out of place; it should be closer to the noun it modifies (Mrs. Anderson).
Reviews
"The problem is that often the description is useful, but the example given is so incredibly bad that one wonders if they missed something. For instance, in the section on plural possessives, the author correctly points out that plural possessives are usually formed with an apostrophe but not 's' on the end. All that noise related only tangentially to the actual point—how to punctuate plural possessives, NOT how to find plural nouns (as if finding the word with the "s" on the end is like divining water or casting magic spells). My guess is that readers will be more rather than less confused after reading this section. Meanwhile, the author adds sections about predicates, gerunds, and similar concepts that most beginning students will find quite difficult to understand because they are more nuanced than simple subject–verb constructions."
"I would suggest purchasing The McGraw-HIll Book of English Grammar and Usage, along with this book and workbook, should you need more explanations on some of the topics. However, I will say that the commonly misspelled words in this book is more comprehensive than any other grammar books I've taken a look at recently."
"Small enough to fit in a purse or bag and easy to read/find what you need quickly."
"Excellent book on Grammar, with this one, you won't need any other!"
"Using this text for a homeschool study skills class."
"Good book for learning a new word each day."
"Purchase it to review English grammar."
"Arrived quickly and as described."
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Best Words, Language & Grammar Reference

The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition
Use the fourth edition of "the little book" to make a big impact with writing. "No book in shorter space, with fewer words, will help any writer more than this persistent little volume." "The book remains a nonpareil: direct, correct, and delightful." "It's hard to imagine an engineer or a manager who doesn't need to express himself in English prose as part of his job. It's also hard to imagine a writer who will not be improved by a liberal application of The Elements of Style ."
Reviews
"edition (the one with the blue cover that is expanded) and I own the 3rd edition (which is not expanded). I've always struggled with being concise in my writing, and this book is THE book to help you maximize your writing."
"Classic book, I don't know one better."
"I bought this for a family member who is writing a book."
"It is by-far the best book book for conveying a message with concision and clarity."
"If you are a writer and need some quick referencing for your style and answered questions about how to use elements of structure in the literary world, this book is perfect."
"William Strunk's original guide, before the modern updates by E. B."
"A beginner or novice needs another book on writing that includes those aspects of the written english language."
"Anyone who even thinks about wanting to write should have this book on the nighttable, or within easy reach of brief periodic readings. The underlying point, like all good English books, is that there really is no new way to say, "it is," although overuse of "be" is a detriment to vivid writing."
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Best 90-Minute Education & Reference Short Reads

How to Boost Your Credit Score 100+ Points in 30 Days Without Credit Repair!
"How to Boost You Credit score 100+ Points Without Credit Repair" will show credit industry secrets for maximizing the other 65%.
Reviews
"I'd recommend this book to anyone seriously interested in repairing their credit."
"A clear and precise base to base credit repair solution for anyone to apply."
"Great quick read from start to finish."
"Pithy and clear - to the point- strategy and advice."
"This guy has lots of tricks for building credit!!"
"Short read and straight to the point which I appreciate."
"This book was an excellent source of information that has revealed so many unknown solutions to fixing and improving my credit scores."
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Best Linguistics

The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need: A One-Stop Source for Every Writing Assignment
Using dozens of examples, The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need provides guidelines for: Understanding the parts of speech and elements of a sentence Avoiding the most common grammar and punctuation mistakes Using correct punctuating in every sentence Writing clearly and directly Approaching writing projects, whether big or small. She edits and publishes Class Act, a national magazine that features grammar, writing, and ideas for English teachers, and has written more than fifty articles on English instruction, as well as a number of study guides. If a sentence contains a misplaced or dangling modifier or is essentially illogical, it becomes confusing at best and ludicrous at worst. This chapter will give you some pointers for looking critically at your sentence construction as well as the tools to fix any problems you find. The way the sentence is written, the ambulance driver is barely speaking—but surely that’s not what the writer meant. Witnesses reported that the woman was driving the getaway car with flowing black hair. Witnesses reported that the woman with flowing black hair was driving the getaway car. Mrs. Anderson could not stop thinking about her sick baby running in the six-mile road race. The clause running in the six-mile road race is out of place; it should be closer to the noun it modifies (Mrs. Anderson).
Reviews
"The problem is that often the description is useful, but the example given is so incredibly bad that one wonders if they missed something. For instance, in the section on plural possessives, the author correctly points out that plural possessives are usually formed with an apostrophe but not 's' on the end. All that noise related only tangentially to the actual point—how to punctuate plural possessives, NOT how to find plural nouns (as if finding the word with the "s" on the end is like divining water or casting magic spells). My guess is that readers will be more rather than less confused after reading this section. Meanwhile, the author adds sections about predicates, gerunds, and similar concepts that most beginning students will find quite difficult to understand because they are more nuanced than simple subject–verb constructions."
"I would suggest purchasing The McGraw-HIll Book of English Grammar and Usage, along with this book and workbook, should you need more explanations on some of the topics. However, I will say that the commonly misspelled words in this book is more comprehensive than any other grammar books I've taken a look at recently."
"Small enough to fit in a purse or bag and easy to read/find what you need quickly."
"Excellent book on Grammar, with this one, you won't need any other!"
"Using this text for a homeschool study skills class."
"Good book for learning a new word each day."
"Purchase it to review English grammar."
"Arrived quickly and as described."
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Best Thesauruses

Words that Sell, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Thesaurus to Help You Promote Your Products, Services, and Ideas
Fully updated and expanded, this edition of the copywriting classic is packed with inspiration-on-demand for busy professionals who need to win customers--by mail, online, or in person. More than 75 lists of powerful and persuasive words and phrases, including 21 new lists for this edition Cross-referencing of categories to jump-start creative thinking A crash course in basic copywriting techniques Helpful lists of commonly misspelled words, confusing words, pretentious phrases to avoid, and more. Roget's is fine for writing term papers and letters to the editor, but when it comes to the business of writing copy that translates into sales, there is no substitute for Words That Sell . Irresistible * winning * zesty * huggable * satisfying * You'll fall in love with...* Your ticket to... * king-size * Gives you the power * baby-soft *. Five-star quality * You're worth it * Don't fall for... * We make life easier * You're one of a select few... * discriminating * Your thoughtful gift. More than 6,000 words and phrases that make the difference between "yadda-yadda-yadda" and copy that sells. More than 75 lists of powerful and persuasive words and phrases, including 21 new lists for this edition Cross-referencing of categories to jump-start creative thinking A crash course in basic copywriting techniques Helpful lists of commonly misspelled words, confusing words, pretentious phrases to avoid, and more. Special strategies that seal the deal: Five-star quality * You're worth it * Don't fall for... * We make life easier * You're one of a select few... * discriminating * Your thoughtful gift. Richard Bayan spent over two decades as an award-winning advertising copywriter and copy chief.
Reviews
"some of the words/phrases recommended are unbelievably mundane, that it's surprising they made it onto a book that sells for money."
"This book is super useful."
"I bought the print edition of this book several years ago and absolutely love it."
"This book should work for my project, but I was expecting more after reading some of the other reviews."
"Got an older version than what's here but still helpful."
"OK, I am hoping it will help me more with my writing."
"Great little book!"
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