Writing sounds simple - you start with an attention-grabbing first sentence, then you move on to some really interesting stuff in the middle, and then you bring it all together at the end. The trouble is, how do you think up that attention-grabbing first sentence? Where do you go to find that really interesting stuff? What do you do if your mind is as blank as the paper you’re staring at?

Whether you’re composing a letter, writing a school thesis, or starting a novel, The Oxford Essential Guide to Writing offers expert advice on how to think more creatively how to conjure up ideas from scratch, and how to express those ideas clearly and elegantly. No matter where you find yourself in the writing process - from the daunting blank page to the rough draft that needs shaping to the small but important questions of punctuation - you’ll find what you need in this one handy, all-inclusive volume.

An icon to those who write and think about words, Fowler's has not been updated since 1965. Burchfield, the chief editor of The Oxford English Dictionary and its four-volume supplement, is perhaps the best equipped to tackle this monument. His revision pulls a much-loved and slightly eccentric work out of the charm of the past and into the whirlwind of today's language. In a simple, alphabetical arrangement, the third edition covers grammar, syntax, style, word choice, and advice on usage. Some of the contents have been changed completely: there are explanations of the differences between British and American usage, new pronunciation guidelines, and new entries reflecting the politicizing of speech.

This comprehensive book covers syntax, punctuation, style, organization, and tone. Johnson does more than dictate the rules; he gives examples, exceptions, and, more important, clear, easily understood explanations of why grammar has the rules it does. He also gives full attention to styling, the important matter of giving consistent treatment to numbers, abbreviations, generic terms, forms of address, foreign terms, etc. , in good writing.

The attention-getting, humorous story starters in this book will surely spark the imagination of the most reluctant story writer. The antics of characters with unusual names will motivate young writers to complete the stories and even create their own stories about the subjects.

The purpose of this book is to help doctors and other health professionals with their writing problems. It consists of several hundred topics, from the process of writing to authorship, and from the use of semi-colons to the law of late literals. These are arranged alphabetically, with extensive cross referencing and, where appropriate, lists of books that the author has read and recommends. The book will provide concise, practical information about how to tackle any form of writing required of health care professionals.

Smart Thinking is designed to provide a simple, but not simplistic, guide for the development of critical thinking and analytical skills. It combines the undoubted strengths of the informal logical approach with a newer - but often-overlooked-insight: that reasoning and analysis are always communicative acts. I would not pretend that one can easily resolve the epistemological tensions between, on the one hand, the commonly held commitments to objective judgment and truth that underpin 'logic' as a mode of analysis and, on the other, the social relativism and intersubjectivity that a communicative-theory approach demands. 

These concise, quick reference guides are perfect for business people, writers, and students at all levels. Written by top experts, they offer readers the easiest, most efficient strategies to master or learn a new skill. All Schaum's Quick Guides include do's and don'ts for avoiding common errors, handy checklists, and practice exercises for building skills quickly.

The SAT writing exam consists of 49 multiple-choice questions and an essay. SAT Writing Essentials mirrors the real test with 35 minutes devoted to the questions, followed by 25 minutes for the essay. Incorporating the SAT's most recent changes, these questions emphasize grammar and usage and the most effective way to revise a sentence or passage. The book covers specific strategies for writing a timed essay and includes four different practice writing tests to effectively prepare students for the essay.

As a practical guide to correct grammar and word choice, The Penguin Dictionary of American English Usage and Style makes an excellent addition to the reference shelf of any high school or college student, and those who write professionally will get plenty of use out of it as well. Words are arranged alphabetically, and thorough cross-referencing makes it fairly easy to track down specific answers, from the plural of "rhinoceros" to when "due to" is an acceptable phrase.