What do you think?
Rate this book
Write to the Point: A Master Class on the Fundamentals of Writing for Any Purpose
An entertaining, no-nonsense guide to writing everything, from a pro who knows it all
For students of any age struggling to write their essays as well as for anyone needing to polish an application or craft the perfect email, thank-you card, blog post, and more, Write to the Point brings a refreshing, unapologetically easy and fun way to take your writing abilities to the next level. Comprehensive yet conversational in tone, it leaves no stone unturned as editor, journalist, and author Sam Leith teaches
Key parts of speech and punctuation
How to avoid common grammatical errors
Rhetorical strategies to bring your prose to life, and more!
Drawing insight from great works of literature as well as newspaper articles, tweets, and angry emails, this is the complete guide to learning how to write more clearly, persuasively, and simply better than before.
For students of any age struggling to write their essays as well as for anyone needing to polish an application or craft the perfect email, thank-you card, blog post, and more, Write to the Point brings a refreshing, unapologetically easy and fun way to take your writing abilities to the next level. Comprehensive yet conversational in tone, it leaves no stone unturned as editor, journalist, and author Sam Leith teaches
Key parts of speech and punctuation
How to avoid common grammatical errors
Rhetorical strategies to bring your prose to life, and more!
Drawing insight from great works of literature as well as newspaper articles, tweets, and angry emails, this is the complete guide to learning how to write more clearly, persuasively, and simply better than before.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2017
148 people are currently reading
522 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 13, 2018
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book! My undergraduate degree is in English - Writing, so I've had the pleasure to read many books on the subject of writing. And while I don't claim to have read all books on the vast subject of writing, I have read some good ones, and some, well, that maybe should've waited to read this one.
Leith does a fantastic job of discussing the fundamentals of writing in an easy, and often amusing, way. And while I won't ruin it for you, his analysis of the opening line of Gerard Manley Hopkin's "The Windover", using "plain English" had me laughing so loudly my husband took his earbuds out to make sure I was okay.
What I have found to be difficult with other books on style - some of which Leith even mentions - that I haven't had with this one, is the author's ability to make me feel like I'm reading something for fun, instead of for learning. I enjoyed this book. It was an actual pleasure to read. If you have any desire to write, no matter if you're a seasoned writer, or a beginner, this book will have something for you.
So, go find this book and buy/rent it. It's worth your time, I promise.
5/5
Stefanie Rae
Leith does a fantastic job of discussing the fundamentals of writing in an easy, and often amusing, way. And while I won't ruin it for you, his analysis of the opening line of Gerard Manley Hopkin's "The Windover", using "plain English" had me laughing so loudly my husband took his earbuds out to make sure I was okay.
What I have found to be difficult with other books on style - some of which Leith even mentions - that I haven't had with this one, is the author's ability to make me feel like I'm reading something for fun, instead of for learning. I enjoyed this book. It was an actual pleasure to read. If you have any desire to write, no matter if you're a seasoned writer, or a beginner, this book will have something for you.
So, go find this book and buy/rent it. It's worth your time, I promise.
5/5
Stefanie Rae
May 21, 2018
As a proposal writer, I try to keep up with the changes in writing (all the while forgetting everything else). All I can really remember is having the worst time in my 7th grade English grammar class. In Write to the Point Sam Leith has refreshed my memory of English grammar (complete with nightmares of 7th grade), punctuation, and trends while doing it in a humorous way that kept me reading. It's a great resource that I'll be revisiting and would encourage those who need a writing refresher to buy for their bookshelves.
July 17, 2019
✍️ ✍️ ✍️ ✍️ ✍️
WRITE TO THE POINT by Sam Leith, literary editor of the Spectator, is a master class in book form on writing fundamentals ... a great refresher on grammar, punctuation and trends with that wry Brit humor to boot! A highly recommended resource for writers, editors, teachers, and students. 5/5
Pub Date 07 Aug 2018
Thanks to The Experiment and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#WriteToThePoint #NetGalley
WRITE TO THE POINT by Sam Leith, literary editor of the Spectator, is a master class in book form on writing fundamentals ... a great refresher on grammar, punctuation and trends with that wry Brit humor to boot! A highly recommended resource for writers, editors, teachers, and students. 5/5
Pub Date 07 Aug 2018
Thanks to The Experiment and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#WriteToThePoint #NetGalley
May 5, 2020
In Write to The Point, Leith does not claim that he has written a manual for language users since grammar books are merely descriptions of what [the writers] do. He explains that knowing your audience is always more important than knowing a set of rules and prohibitions on grammar but, you will surely benefit in consistency and clarity in writing.
This ‘writing book� comes with seven (7) main chapters: The Big Picture, Nuts and Bolts, Widgets, Sentence Surgery, Bells and Whistles, Perils and Pitfalls, and Out into the World. While I find ALL of these chapters informative, I have my favorites:
1. The Big Picture: Leith shows, among others, the benefits of clarity in speaking, writing, and reading, and on how to make a mark on these areas. In writing and speaking, being aware of your audience is as important as clarity of your work. Leith also puts emphasis on the importance of reading ‘physical books� or ‘the codex.� I quote: ”You will have a sense � even several hundred pages later � that this or that quotation is somewhere about a quarter of the way through the book, near the top or a left-hand page.�
2. Nuts and Bolts: this section concerns the different parts of speech from grammar and punctuation. Leith says that he cannot be exhaustive and cites the rules found in Strunk and White’s ‘The Elements of Style� (referred in this post as “The Bible�). True enough, Leith followed The Bible and introduces a “neat trick� for identifying a passive construction by adding “by zombies� after the verb. If you can do so, you’re looking at the passive voice, e.g. “Everyone loves BY ZOMBIES Americans Got Talent� �> “Americans Got Talent is loved BY ZOMBIES.�
3. Widgets: Leith informs us how not to be awkward in the use of punctuation marks, from the full stop to emoticons! Ha ha 🙊😂
4. Perils and Pitfalls: this is the part I love the most because it lists down the often misused words and expressions (e.g. different from, different to, and different than).
Summary of my verdict: The Bible is still the best! Nothing beats the classic!
This ‘writing book� comes with seven (7) main chapters: The Big Picture, Nuts and Bolts, Widgets, Sentence Surgery, Bells and Whistles, Perils and Pitfalls, and Out into the World. While I find ALL of these chapters informative, I have my favorites:
1. The Big Picture: Leith shows, among others, the benefits of clarity in speaking, writing, and reading, and on how to make a mark on these areas. In writing and speaking, being aware of your audience is as important as clarity of your work. Leith also puts emphasis on the importance of reading ‘physical books� or ‘the codex.� I quote: ”You will have a sense � even several hundred pages later � that this or that quotation is somewhere about a quarter of the way through the book, near the top or a left-hand page.�
2. Nuts and Bolts: this section concerns the different parts of speech from grammar and punctuation. Leith says that he cannot be exhaustive and cites the rules found in Strunk and White’s ‘The Elements of Style� (referred in this post as “The Bible�). True enough, Leith followed The Bible and introduces a “neat trick� for identifying a passive construction by adding “by zombies� after the verb. If you can do so, you’re looking at the passive voice, e.g. “Everyone loves BY ZOMBIES Americans Got Talent� �> “Americans Got Talent is loved BY ZOMBIES.�
3. Widgets: Leith informs us how not to be awkward in the use of punctuation marks, from the full stop to emoticons! Ha ha 🙊😂
4. Perils and Pitfalls: this is the part I love the most because it lists down the often misused words and expressions (e.g. different from, different to, and different than).
Summary of my verdict: The Bible is still the best! Nothing beats the classic!
June 17, 2018
I never thought I would say that learning English grammar was entertaining & fun. I really enjoyed this book & the great examples given. This book is not only fun to read, but also covers the difference between spoken & written English. I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn or brush up on their English skills.
June 30, 2024
Really beginner friendly and witty guide to writing
March 11, 2024
Energetic and entertaining.
Useful chapters for me:
Brackets
Inverted commas
Quotes within quotes
Sentence surgery separating clauses
Cadences active vs passive voice
Joining the object and verb
Long form structure using the reverse funnel approach
Avoid ending on prepositions unless it helps change emphasis
Stay totally consistent. Play with stylistic contrasts for effect
Useful chapters for me:
Brackets
Inverted commas
Quotes within quotes
Sentence surgery separating clauses
Cadences active vs passive voice
Joining the object and verb
Long form structure using the reverse funnel approach
Avoid ending on prepositions unless it helps change emphasis
Stay totally consistent. Play with stylistic contrasts for effect
June 11, 2018
Why I requested to read this book:
I work at a Community College, where we have quite a few students still learning the basics of the English language, either because they are ESL students or because they did not fully grasp concepts in their K-12 English class. The premise of this book looked promising as approachable and covering many types of writing that our students encounter (e-mails, applications, etc.). It sounded perfect!
Thoughts after reading:
The majority of the book is Sam Leith's take on English Grammer, which I did learn from as he explains things using the less conventional method of conversational writing. It was a great way to engage me as a reader, as it's not a topic that I am particularly interested in. What I was hoping for from this book, for the sake of our students, was a more explicit breakdown of different writing situations, writing for desired outcomes. These exist in the book, but with only a couple of paragraphs to a couple of pages for each situation, which turns into blurbs of advice, but not really the how-to that I was looking for.
Will I buy it for my students? I'm still on the fence. I'm not sure that it will be relatable to them, and I will explain why:
When consciously giving examples, Sam Leith is mostly successful at creating the approachable, down-to-earth, relatable content that he is attempting to demonstrate. I found these examples to be terrific, as they provided me with a grasp of concepts that I had not found otherwise easy to grasp in my undergraduate English courses, and they often achieved the attempted humor, even if in a crass manner.
However, when not consciously demonstrating anything specific, the text between examples sometimes defaults to a flowery high level of English that is hardly approachable by the average reader/writer, and feels like the author falls prey to unintentional code-switching. This is puzzling as the author specifically states that writing this book in a conversational manner was his intent. Apparently, his level of conversation is beyond me. Casual use of words such as splenetic, pedant, and avuncular, undermines the conversational goal and makes me feel like I should study vocabulary all over again, or keep a dictionary by my side, just to make it through. Additionally, the author is very British in many his examples but attempts to speak to an American audience, which is also confusing. If he's writing for an American audience, quoting from the British version of The Office, or comparing the Guardian to the Daily Mail, isn't going to connect.
I wanted to give this book 5 stars, because I was engaged and learning, which is a tall order given my lack of personal interest in the topic. I end up giving it only 3 stars, because I think it's confused about the target audience, and what kind of book it wants to be.
I work at a Community College, where we have quite a few students still learning the basics of the English language, either because they are ESL students or because they did not fully grasp concepts in their K-12 English class. The premise of this book looked promising as approachable and covering many types of writing that our students encounter (e-mails, applications, etc.). It sounded perfect!
Thoughts after reading:
The majority of the book is Sam Leith's take on English Grammer, which I did learn from as he explains things using the less conventional method of conversational writing. It was a great way to engage me as a reader, as it's not a topic that I am particularly interested in. What I was hoping for from this book, for the sake of our students, was a more explicit breakdown of different writing situations, writing for desired outcomes. These exist in the book, but with only a couple of paragraphs to a couple of pages for each situation, which turns into blurbs of advice, but not really the how-to that I was looking for.
Will I buy it for my students? I'm still on the fence. I'm not sure that it will be relatable to them, and I will explain why:
When consciously giving examples, Sam Leith is mostly successful at creating the approachable, down-to-earth, relatable content that he is attempting to demonstrate. I found these examples to be terrific, as they provided me with a grasp of concepts that I had not found otherwise easy to grasp in my undergraduate English courses, and they often achieved the attempted humor, even if in a crass manner.
However, when not consciously demonstrating anything specific, the text between examples sometimes defaults to a flowery high level of English that is hardly approachable by the average reader/writer, and feels like the author falls prey to unintentional code-switching. This is puzzling as the author specifically states that writing this book in a conversational manner was his intent. Apparently, his level of conversation is beyond me. Casual use of words such as splenetic, pedant, and avuncular, undermines the conversational goal and makes me feel like I should study vocabulary all over again, or keep a dictionary by my side, just to make it through. Additionally, the author is very British in many his examples but attempts to speak to an American audience, which is also confusing. If he's writing for an American audience, quoting from the British version of The Office, or comparing the Guardian to the Daily Mail, isn't going to connect.
I wanted to give this book 5 stars, because I was engaged and learning, which is a tall order given my lack of personal interest in the topic. I end up giving it only 3 stars, because I think it's confused about the target audience, and what kind of book it wants to be.
September 18, 2019
I have very mixed feelings about this book. The content and advice, in general, is very good. I thought it delivered a lot of information in a very concise, easy-to-read manner. I even learned some things about English and writing!
The tone of this book didn't quite land with me. Leith sets himself up as a kind of in-betweener amid the "fight" between the Armies of Correctness and the Descriptivist Irregulars. But I felt that his efforts to go down a middle road just ended up seeming like he was playing at being "cool" and it was hard to take him seriously. For whatever reason, his humor fell really flat for me.
Also, I'm all for a section on emojis as a communication system, but in the chapter on punctuation? I don't know I understood that organization. And then there was the section on subtweeting -- in a writing reference book- -- whose inclusion I can't decide if I loved or hated (maybe a little bit of both).
All this being said, I would definitely recommend Write to the Point before I recommend Eats, Shoots and Leaves to anyone. So there's that!
The tone of this book didn't quite land with me. Leith sets himself up as a kind of in-betweener amid the "fight" between the Armies of Correctness and the Descriptivist Irregulars. But I felt that his efforts to go down a middle road just ended up seeming like he was playing at being "cool" and it was hard to take him seriously. For whatever reason, his humor fell really flat for me.
Also, I'm all for a section on emojis as a communication system, but in the chapter on punctuation? I don't know I understood that organization. And then there was the section on subtweeting -- in a writing reference book- -- whose inclusion I can't decide if I loved or hated (maybe a little bit of both).
All this being said, I would definitely recommend Write to the Point before I recommend Eats, Shoots and Leaves to anyone. So there's that!
April 29, 2020
This is a writing handbook that achieves its mission of providing sound advice about grammar, usage, style and genre without being prescriptive or pedantic (hello Shrunk and White). It’s not comprehensive like many textbook handbooks are but for language users and lovers, it offers next level issues related to persuasion, audience and occasion, in other words rhetoric. At the same time Leith takes on topics that would typical make some people shudder such as parts of speech and punctuation. Fortunately Leith is a solid writer himself and models the kind of writing he emphasizes throughout the book: every time you read or write, you are trying to connect to your audience (8).
The pronoun section could use an update given gender identity’s growing influence in our daily language practices but overall it’s an excellent guide. I used it as a text in an advanced professional writing class creating short assignments for each chapter but anyone who writes for a living will find a few nuggets of wisdom about the meta and practical aspects of writing.
The pronoun section could use an update given gender identity’s growing influence in our daily language practices but overall it’s an excellent guide. I used it as a text in an advanced professional writing class creating short assignments for each chapter but anyone who writes for a living will find a few nuggets of wisdom about the meta and practical aspects of writing.
April 2, 2019
Who would have predicted a book about grammar would be an incredible page turner?
Witty
Practical
Lots of wonderful stories
I walked away with tons of useful advice. For instance, the Barnes Principle states that being quoted in written form from what you said verbally can actually lead to more misunderstanding than being paraphrased.
Two take homes:
1. Sounding out the words generally is correct, as opposed to worrying about rigid grammatical structures. Cadence is also an under-appreciated skill in writing.
2. Language continually evolves. So when someone claims that the original meaning of Word X from Latin or Greek means ..... respond by saying, "So what? That has no relevance for today's usage". And almost always there are examples where use of that word in English has altered over the centuries.
Witty
Practical
Lots of wonderful stories
I walked away with tons of useful advice. For instance, the Barnes Principle states that being quoted in written form from what you said verbally can actually lead to more misunderstanding than being paraphrased.
Two take homes:
1. Sounding out the words generally is correct, as opposed to worrying about rigid grammatical structures. Cadence is also an under-appreciated skill in writing.
2. Language continually evolves. So when someone claims that the original meaning of Word X from Latin or Greek means ..... respond by saying, "So what? That has no relevance for today's usage". And almost always there are examples where use of that word in English has altered over the centuries.
January 5, 2023
Tl;dr - a guide to better writing, with an emphasis on grammar along with some generic advices about using plain English instead of jargon or esoteric words for the sake of sounding smart. Be as clear and concise as possible. Use your own voice and prioritize making your prose fun and easy for the reader. Example: Walter Isaacson was able to beautifully write the Steve Jobs / Apple biography without needing to use engineering or otherwise technical terms.
October 29, 2019
I got this book for Christmas and was not looking forward to reading it as it looked a bit dry. I was, however, pleasantly surprised with how easy and enjoyable it was to read.
May 12, 2020
I had to read this book for a class I am taking in grad school, and I have to say that I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. Write to the Point by Sam Leith shows the reader a different approach to a writing/style guide that is less dogmatic and more approachable. From the beginning, he asserts that language “is not a fixed thing,� that it “evolves according to the ways its used� (2). He starts off making the reader feel not like they are attending a school lesson on strict dos and don’ts; but rather reading something that will making their writing better.
Leith comes across like an understanding, warm teacher. They won’t be taking points off for every spliced comma, refusing to read any more if they see more than three grammatical mistakes on the page. Instead, they will critique your excessive use of the word “that� or crazy long sentences, and help you actually improve.
This gentle tone continues throughout the rest of the guide. There are specific moments throughout where he says explicitly, “this is not good writing,� and he leaves no questions about his opinions of Dan Brown, but he is never nearly as harsh as some high school teachers can be to their students.
Each of the eight chapters covers something important to writing a straight-forward and comprehensible piece. I particularly enjoy that he starts off with audience. The first thing that a writer needs to consider is their audience, and Leith reinforces this but putting it at the very beginning of the guide. Only after the writer has taken into consideration their audience can they worry about the “nuts and bolts� of the essay.
In the “Nuts and Bolts� section, Leith again follows the structure of his guide starting from the building blocks of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, etc. before moving on to actual sentence structure. He asserts that “having a basic technical vocabulary to talk about sentences will help you fix them,� highlighting this bottom-up approach (40).
Something important I think he talks about here is trusting yourself as a writer. He asserts more than once that you should “test the results on your ear� when it comes to tricky grammatical situations (52). This seems to be his core philosophy when it comes to writing, rather than adhering strictly to grammatical rules. There are different situations that might require different things (such as the use of the singular they) where grammar just is not the most important factor. All writing is in a context, which Leith highlights in this guide very effectively.
Once you can string words together in a sentence, you move on to punctuation. These rules are important because, unlike language usage, they are “in a formal context, pretty firmly established� (81). Knowing how to punctuate a sentence effectively can help the reader feel more inclined to actually read something, which is sort of the point of writing anything for publication.
Punctuation is also the longest section of the guide, covering forty-three pages (followed closely by “Nuts and Bolts� at forty-one, with the rest trailing significantly after) about things that might seem incredibly boring to the outsider. When I told my partner that I was reading a chapter about punctuation, he apologized that I had to deal with something so arduous. However, Leith’s writing style does not make reading seem like a chore. Instead, his conversational tone appeals very well to his target audience of not-pundits, and makes reviewing the uses of the semicolon interesting.
After you figure out how to create your sentences, you move on to being your own editor. It is important for a writer to also be able to review what they have written, or else they just might not make sense to someone other than themself. Editing can help you “keep your erraticism under control,� and hopefully remind you that the reader does not necessarily have the same thought process as you do (125).
Knowing that Leith is an editor, this section is particularly illuminating. Because he knows first-hand the business of being a copy-editor, he has advice that the reader knows is coming directly from experience. Even without his commanding use of words like “hypotaxis,� this gives the reader more confidence in this section, since they can believe easily that he knows what he is talking about.
“Bells and Whistles� covers the more difficult notion of “bringing things to life� (144). This section comes towards the end of the guide because it is one of the hardest things to grasp, for even an experienced writer. A writer can tell when sentences don’t sound right, and so can usually fix that upon revision, but there is something more elusive in capturing the mind or imagination of someone.
From this chapter, something he says particularly struck me, which follows the advice given in chapter on the nuts and bolts: “sometimes a word may have a rhythmic rather than a semantic value� (153). Relying on your own intuition and listening to your inner ear again is highlighted as more important than adhering to the pedantic rules that are often referred to by sticklers.
Next comes “Perils and Pitfalls,� a chapter that I was not required to read for class but did so anyway because I was interested in what he had to say. Here, again, he agrees that there are rules for formal writing; however, “in literary style, all bets are off� (175). Sometimes, you just have to split an infinitive when you’re writing.
Finally, there is the section about practical uses of proper writing; from letters to resumes, and even branching into layouts. This section is a fun read, since everyone has to write at some point, and not everyone knows how to create an eye-catching resume.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to someone who is interested in a style guide. Leith keeps the tone light, though there is still a ton of technical information included. His advice about writing being a subjective art and language being fluid is probably the best piece of advice that I have read from style guides, including the official one from the Modern Language Association.
Leith comes across like an understanding, warm teacher. They won’t be taking points off for every spliced comma, refusing to read any more if they see more than three grammatical mistakes on the page. Instead, they will critique your excessive use of the word “that� or crazy long sentences, and help you actually improve.
This gentle tone continues throughout the rest of the guide. There are specific moments throughout where he says explicitly, “this is not good writing,� and he leaves no questions about his opinions of Dan Brown, but he is never nearly as harsh as some high school teachers can be to their students.
Each of the eight chapters covers something important to writing a straight-forward and comprehensible piece. I particularly enjoy that he starts off with audience. The first thing that a writer needs to consider is their audience, and Leith reinforces this but putting it at the very beginning of the guide. Only after the writer has taken into consideration their audience can they worry about the “nuts and bolts� of the essay.
In the “Nuts and Bolts� section, Leith again follows the structure of his guide starting from the building blocks of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, etc. before moving on to actual sentence structure. He asserts that “having a basic technical vocabulary to talk about sentences will help you fix them,� highlighting this bottom-up approach (40).
Something important I think he talks about here is trusting yourself as a writer. He asserts more than once that you should “test the results on your ear� when it comes to tricky grammatical situations (52). This seems to be his core philosophy when it comes to writing, rather than adhering strictly to grammatical rules. There are different situations that might require different things (such as the use of the singular they) where grammar just is not the most important factor. All writing is in a context, which Leith highlights in this guide very effectively.
Once you can string words together in a sentence, you move on to punctuation. These rules are important because, unlike language usage, they are “in a formal context, pretty firmly established� (81). Knowing how to punctuate a sentence effectively can help the reader feel more inclined to actually read something, which is sort of the point of writing anything for publication.
Punctuation is also the longest section of the guide, covering forty-three pages (followed closely by “Nuts and Bolts� at forty-one, with the rest trailing significantly after) about things that might seem incredibly boring to the outsider. When I told my partner that I was reading a chapter about punctuation, he apologized that I had to deal with something so arduous. However, Leith’s writing style does not make reading seem like a chore. Instead, his conversational tone appeals very well to his target audience of not-pundits, and makes reviewing the uses of the semicolon interesting.
After you figure out how to create your sentences, you move on to being your own editor. It is important for a writer to also be able to review what they have written, or else they just might not make sense to someone other than themself. Editing can help you “keep your erraticism under control,� and hopefully remind you that the reader does not necessarily have the same thought process as you do (125).
Knowing that Leith is an editor, this section is particularly illuminating. Because he knows first-hand the business of being a copy-editor, he has advice that the reader knows is coming directly from experience. Even without his commanding use of words like “hypotaxis,� this gives the reader more confidence in this section, since they can believe easily that he knows what he is talking about.
“Bells and Whistles� covers the more difficult notion of “bringing things to life� (144). This section comes towards the end of the guide because it is one of the hardest things to grasp, for even an experienced writer. A writer can tell when sentences don’t sound right, and so can usually fix that upon revision, but there is something more elusive in capturing the mind or imagination of someone.
From this chapter, something he says particularly struck me, which follows the advice given in chapter on the nuts and bolts: “sometimes a word may have a rhythmic rather than a semantic value� (153). Relying on your own intuition and listening to your inner ear again is highlighted as more important than adhering to the pedantic rules that are often referred to by sticklers.
Next comes “Perils and Pitfalls,� a chapter that I was not required to read for class but did so anyway because I was interested in what he had to say. Here, again, he agrees that there are rules for formal writing; however, “in literary style, all bets are off� (175). Sometimes, you just have to split an infinitive when you’re writing.
Finally, there is the section about practical uses of proper writing; from letters to resumes, and even branching into layouts. This section is a fun read, since everyone has to write at some point, and not everyone knows how to create an eye-catching resume.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to someone who is interested in a style guide. Leith keeps the tone light, though there is still a ton of technical information included. His advice about writing being a subjective art and language being fluid is probably the best piece of advice that I have read from style guides, including the official one from the Modern Language Association.
March 2, 2025
Partially read.
Originally picked up this book with the intent to refresh my memory on grammar basics.
This book answered my questions regarding punctuation however when I considered actually reading the full book, I did not enjoy the bouncing between joke and anecdotal fluffery to technical word usage.
In my opinion this book could be more to the point but it is not without useful content. Not my cup of tea
Originally picked up this book with the intent to refresh my memory on grammar basics.
This book answered my questions regarding punctuation however when I considered actually reading the full book, I did not enjoy the bouncing between joke and anecdotal fluffery to technical word usage.
In my opinion this book could be more to the point but it is not without useful content. Not my cup of tea
October 2, 2021
In principle, it's a handy tool for writing. It has a lot of useful tips for punctuation and grammar. On the downside, though, it's quite a mouthful (or should that be word-ful?); the small typeface doesn't help in this regard (not that I can't see it or read it; it's just annoying). All in all, proceed with caution.
December 27, 2019
Leith gets that laying on the sarcasm, wit and silly examples thick is the best way to ease the reader's path through otherwise rather dry material.
He also has a knack for quick, clear explanations of points of grammar and punctuation that I hadn't really got before.
He also has a knack for quick, clear explanations of points of grammar and punctuation that I hadn't really got before.
February 18, 2022
More focused on nuts and bolts of writing, but the writing itself was very flowery and hard to read. Was hoping for a concise action, but was not easy to dissect what the author was saying. Still learned a bit, but difficult read.
Read
April 28, 2024Its like going back to school, I was looking for a reading that would have a disruptive approach and teach how to write in a unique way, but this one is not the book. I'd rather watch "Dead Poets Society".
April 13, 2025
A witty and stylish book. Ideal for the beginner or someone looking to refresh their grammar knowledge.
Filled with useful examples and well, as I now know, typeset.
Would recommend to beginning writers.
Filled with useful examples and well, as I now know, typeset.
Would recommend to beginning writers.
February 16, 2019
Funny and engaging
February 20, 2021
The author is undoubtedly knowledgeable about the topic but for a book about writing, I struggled with his style. I’m sure others will fly through it but I waded through.
May 7, 2022
This were a good book whom really helped I lots.I will done better writing now thank you Sam Leith!!!!
July 30, 2022
Not sure why I’ve just read a whole book on how to write proper but ’twas well interesting.
September 12, 2023
For the most part, this is a terrific yet approachable guide to writing clearly and concisely. However, it does falter when Leith tries to explain abstract concepts, such as the more advanced figures of speech.
July 1, 2024
Excellent, up-to-date, guide to composition.
June 26, 2020
I’m not usually one for style guides, but I did find this one interesting and it had useful / realistic advice within. English is my first language and I’m don’t fully understand some of the rules of grammar, often just playing it by ear, and it was nice to understand the difference between some of the things that were discussed. Leith does well in identifying elements that people like me would be interested in, and I thought the general flow did well in holding my attention. I’m fairly sure I didn’t get everything that he was trying to get across, but I got the general idea and this one goes back on my shelf for reference / possible re-read in the future. At the very least, it’s making me think twice about things like punctuation, sentence length and/or conciseness before pressing send / submit when I write stuff (although currently to the extent that it’s slighly annoying, so I hope it wears off with time), which I think is a good thing. 3.5 stars, 4 on ŷ.
January 12, 2019
Write to the Point
Sam Leith
The Experiment, 2018
Trade paperback, $14.95
ISBN 978-1-61519-462-9
Sam Leith’s “Write to the Point� is indeed a master class on the fundamentals of writing for any purpose. He is a literary editor at the Spectator and columnist for The Financial Times, Evening Standard, and Prospect. His writing has appeared in other publications and he has written several other books including “Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama.� His observations about language-what makes it tick, how it works (or doesn’t), and various ways to improve it are focused, entertaining, and born of experience.
He takes you from the parts of speech through punctuation, rewriting exercises, techniques of accomplishing effective writing, common mistakes and controversies, and observations on writing for different purposes. He provides many fine recommendations on achieving a desired register, or tone, in your work. For me, the most important result gained from reading this work was learning ways to read my own writing analytically. Writing is like a musical instrument that must be properly tuned before it can sound right.
His advice is expert: Strive to produce right-branching sentences, with the subject and verb up front, (that is, part of the time), be direct, avoid cliche, begin with the most important elements, and consider the “camera angles� of your prose. Pay attention to how your writing sounds when you read it. Think of the effects of punctuation, syntax and choice of words on its cadence. Do they give it the kind of emphasis you want? Above all, seek brevity and clarity. And learn when to break the rules.
For anyone who enjoys the craft of language, and especially anyone who really wants to write well, this book will be a joy to read, and even to reread.
And since Sam Leith is an accomplished and influential writer, I wanted to get his ideas on a few topics. I very much appreciate his response to my questions.
32nd Avenue Books: How do you see language changing in the future?
Sam Leith: I think what we've seen is that thanks to digital media everyone now masters a much greater range of written registers and idioms than they used to: linguistic change moves faster, too, with in-words and borrowings going global in a matter of months rather than decades. So I think the melting pot is getting bigger, and richer, and more complicated -- and that's all to the good.
32nd Avenue Books: Can you describe a single, most important thing that makes good writing good?
Sam Leith: There’s no single thing, because as I hope comes over in my book, using language well is *always* situational: it's about the right words for the right context and audience. But I do think that cadence is much, much more important than you'd think from the very limited extent to which it's discussed. A good ear for the rhythm of words makes a huge difference.
32nd Avenue Books: Was there someone who had a major influence on your writing?
Sam Leith: There are so many writers I admire, and whose effects I've probably borrowed or imitated here and there, that it's hard to say. Some of David Foster Wallace's vamping between high and low styles, I think, has rubbed off on me in my journalism, and I've read a lot of poetry growing up so everything from Sylvia Plath's sound-effects or Auden's simultaneous exactness and talkiness to the stately cadences and unexpected word choices of early Robert Lowell have probably influenced my ear. Perhaps the likes of Berryman and Elizabeth Bishop and Nathanael West and Evelyn Waugh for taking a cheerful approach to dark material. But I can't point to a single writer I've been directly shaped by. It's all part of the mental mulch. Mostly I've been influenced by the people over the years -- parents, teachers, friends, colleagues -- who have pressed books on me and encouraged me to read very widely and enthusiastically. The more you read -- and in my case that's everything from Chris Claremont to Shakespeare -- the more you learn to write, in my opinion.
Steve Brehm
32nd Avenue Books, Toy & Gifts
Sam Leith
The Experiment, 2018
Trade paperback, $14.95
ISBN 978-1-61519-462-9
Sam Leith’s “Write to the Point� is indeed a master class on the fundamentals of writing for any purpose. He is a literary editor at the Spectator and columnist for The Financial Times, Evening Standard, and Prospect. His writing has appeared in other publications and he has written several other books including “Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama.� His observations about language-what makes it tick, how it works (or doesn’t), and various ways to improve it are focused, entertaining, and born of experience.
He takes you from the parts of speech through punctuation, rewriting exercises, techniques of accomplishing effective writing, common mistakes and controversies, and observations on writing for different purposes. He provides many fine recommendations on achieving a desired register, or tone, in your work. For me, the most important result gained from reading this work was learning ways to read my own writing analytically. Writing is like a musical instrument that must be properly tuned before it can sound right.
His advice is expert: Strive to produce right-branching sentences, with the subject and verb up front, (that is, part of the time), be direct, avoid cliche, begin with the most important elements, and consider the “camera angles� of your prose. Pay attention to how your writing sounds when you read it. Think of the effects of punctuation, syntax and choice of words on its cadence. Do they give it the kind of emphasis you want? Above all, seek brevity and clarity. And learn when to break the rules.
For anyone who enjoys the craft of language, and especially anyone who really wants to write well, this book will be a joy to read, and even to reread.
And since Sam Leith is an accomplished and influential writer, I wanted to get his ideas on a few topics. I very much appreciate his response to my questions.
32nd Avenue Books: How do you see language changing in the future?
Sam Leith: I think what we've seen is that thanks to digital media everyone now masters a much greater range of written registers and idioms than they used to: linguistic change moves faster, too, with in-words and borrowings going global in a matter of months rather than decades. So I think the melting pot is getting bigger, and richer, and more complicated -- and that's all to the good.
32nd Avenue Books: Can you describe a single, most important thing that makes good writing good?
Sam Leith: There’s no single thing, because as I hope comes over in my book, using language well is *always* situational: it's about the right words for the right context and audience. But I do think that cadence is much, much more important than you'd think from the very limited extent to which it's discussed. A good ear for the rhythm of words makes a huge difference.
32nd Avenue Books: Was there someone who had a major influence on your writing?
Sam Leith: There are so many writers I admire, and whose effects I've probably borrowed or imitated here and there, that it's hard to say. Some of David Foster Wallace's vamping between high and low styles, I think, has rubbed off on me in my journalism, and I've read a lot of poetry growing up so everything from Sylvia Plath's sound-effects or Auden's simultaneous exactness and talkiness to the stately cadences and unexpected word choices of early Robert Lowell have probably influenced my ear. Perhaps the likes of Berryman and Elizabeth Bishop and Nathanael West and Evelyn Waugh for taking a cheerful approach to dark material. But I can't point to a single writer I've been directly shaped by. It's all part of the mental mulch. Mostly I've been influenced by the people over the years -- parents, teachers, friends, colleagues -- who have pressed books on me and encouraged me to read very widely and enthusiastically. The more you read -- and in my case that's everything from Chris Claremont to Shakespeare -- the more you learn to write, in my opinion.
Steve Brehm
32nd Avenue Books, Toy & Gifts
August 31, 2018
#WriteToThePoint #NetGalley
A very good handbook about English writing. I liked the way the way that the topics are introduced. Also, the book can be applied to any domain like business, introduction to writing for college students, ESL advanced levels and more.
A very good handbook about English writing. I liked the way the way that the topics are introduced. Also, the book can be applied to any domain like business, introduction to writing for college students, ESL advanced levels and more.
March 23, 2020
Skimmed this. Didn't care for it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.