The Writer’s Diet
A Guide to Fit Prose
88 pages
|
5 1/2 x 7 1/2
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© 2016
- Contents
- Review Quotes
Table of Contents

Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Writer’s Diet
1. Verbal verve
2. Noun density
3. Prepositional pudge
4. Ad-dictions
5. Waste words
Afterword: Healthy writing
Appendix: The WritersDiet Test
References
Index
Introduction: The Writer’s Diet
1. Verbal verve
2. Noun density
3. Prepositional pudge
4. Ad-dictions
5. Waste words
Afterword: Healthy writing
Appendix: The WritersDiet Test
References
Index
Review Quotes
Times Higher Education
“Addressing wielders of words who remain in thrall to the passive verb and the abstract noun, Sword aims to lead us to ‘fit and trim’ prose via an assault course covering horrors such as ‘Prepositional pudge,’ ‘Ad-dictions’ and ‘Waste words.’ The tone is equal parts exasperation and encouragement, and worth every sweaty minute.”
Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century
“Who says nutritious material must be bland? This short book is packed with excellent advice on writing, offered with charm and good cheer.”
Rachel Toor, columnist for The Chronicle of Higher Education and associate professor of creative writing at Eastern Washington University
“Even the leanest and most muscular stylists can end up with jiggly bits in their prose. With Sword as your coach, and The Writer’s Diet as your training manual, you can slim down, tone up, and become a more energetic, engaging, and lively writer.”
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