A classic 1918 book about the “craft” of writing, which was then updated by E. B. White (the author of Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little and others).

It’s still recommended today, and it’s a short book.

Get the illustrated edition if you can. There’s a painting in every other page and it adds a touch of levity to a subject that can be boring. And it’s just beautiful. We need more beauty in this world.

Highlights

6. Do not overwrite.

“It is always a good idea to reread your writing later and ruthlessly delete the excess.”

7. Do not overstate.

“a single carefree superlative has the power to destroy, for readers, the object of your enthusiasm.”

8. Avoid the use of qualifiers.

“Rather, very, little, pretty — these are the leeches that infest the pond of prose, sucking the blood of words.”

11. Do not explain too much.

“Be sparing, for instance, in the use of adverbs after “he said,” “she replied,” and the like: “he said consolingly”; “she replied grumblingly.””

“Dialogue heavily weighted with adverbs after the attributive verb is cluttery and annoying.”

12. Do not construct awkward adverbs.

“Do not dress words up by adding -ly to them, as though putting a hat on a horse.   overly »»»»» over”

20. Avoid foreign languages.

“Some writers, however, from sheer exuberance or a desire to show off, sprinkle their work liberally with foreign expressions”