The Art of Writing by Peter Yang, Book Review

The Art of Writing: Four Principles for Great Writing that Everyone Needs to KnowHow do you rank your ability to write well on a scale of one to 10? Written communication is important to professionals because they need to clearly articulate their ideas to others. TCK Publishing gave me a complimentary e-book copy of The Art of Writing by Peter Yang to review. Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows that I'm honest with my reviews.

The Art of Writing is very concise and suitable for anyone who wants to hone the craft of writing. It's not suitable for people who are veteran writers. As a writer, I've read several books on different types of writing. And I've taken several courses and attended retreats. To write well, means that you have to write. Peter Yang makes that very clear in the book. You also have to read books written by great writers, so that you know what great writing looks like.

What is The Art of Writing by Peter Yang About?

In The Art of Writing, the author, Peter Yang shares writing wisdom. Several things he says resonate with me. A key one is not to just read books about writing. But read books that cover topics that interest you. In the age of Black Lives Matter, I'd also add that it's important to read books by authors who are very different from you. One of the things I've been preaching since 2013, is to read the world. Travel the world through the books you read.

Continuous learning is a part of life. If you’re not a reader, you can find a synopsis of many books from Readitforme that you can listen to. Click the link to join. This is a great way to learn the latest thinking on many topics. And it is a great way to learn which books to buy and devour.

Have you read?

Notes on Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg

Content of The Art of Reading by Peter Yang

4 Fundamental Principles of Artistic Writing

1. Economy
2. Transparency
3. Variety
4. Harmony

When I first read harmony was a fundamental writing principle, I wondered what Yang meant. I know what harmony means. But I was unsure what it means in the context of writing.

Economy

You write shorter sentences and paragraphs. Remove filler words from your writing and don't repeat yourself. Your writing shouldn't be tentative. Write with conviction, like you own the space. Because you do. Limit your use of qualifiers, common transition words, and ‘Which is' or ‘That'. I'd like to add to the conversation about transition words as it relates to blogging. I agree with Yang. But plugins like Yoast need to change. When it ranks your blog posts, it tells you that you're not using enough transition words.

The tool uses a traffic light system. Green means that your blog post is good to go. There have been several times when I ignored the amber sign because I didn't want to pad my writing with filler words to satisfy a machine.

To continue with Economy, use positive language. Give the reader enough information — not an information dump. Show don't tell, finding a balance between explanation and description. Remove unnecessary punctuation. And always opt for the active over passive voice.

Transparency

Be clear with your intention when writing. Plan what you're going to say. Many professionals suggest that you use an outline. Most of the time I write without an outline because I find it cumbersome to create outlines all the time. Anyway, know your audience and use figures of speech they'll understand. Write in plain language, eliminating jargon and clichés from your writing.

Stay away from using ambiguous words. Bring your writing to life using sharp distinctions to convey your point. Pay attention to tenses and be consistent. Write using concrete language and save the best for last.

Variety

I love this fundamental principle. Vary your sentence lengths. This is something that I struggle with. I'm making an effort to change that. Limit the use of semicolons and em dashes. Look at the role your paragraphs place in your written piece, then vary the lengths accordingly. Stay away from too long paragraphs. Ask yourself, “What are you trying to achieve in the paragraph?” What roles does each sentence play?

Harmony

All components of your writing: Sentences, paragraphs, arguments and so on must be in harmony — like a symphony orchestra. You don't want to create dissonance. That can throw off your reader. And that's the last thing you want to do. Use a consistent voice, and spelling, typography. Choose a style guide. Understand and use parallel structure properly. And stick to a central theme.

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5 Central Attributes of an Artistic Writer

1. Meticulous: Is every word necessary. Be ruthless when editing your work. If a word doesn’t and to the understanding of the written piece, delete it.
2. Cognizant: Write for the reader. Not for yourself, it’s about him or her.
3. Sincere: Be honest with your communication.
4. Not Obsessed with Perfection: Perfectionism doesn’t exist. It’s an unattainable goal.
5. Flexible: Weigh the above principles against the context, then decide what to do.

Final Thoughts: The Art of Writing by Peter Yang

There isn't any new information in The Art of Writing. However, I love his brevity and style. Too many books are longer than they need to read, forcing the reader to wade through a ton of useless information. You get what you need to become a better writer. I recommend this book.

 The Art of Writing Several Short Sentences About Writing On Writing Well Ernest Hemingway on Writing On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft