Mastering the art of writing is one of the most important, yet most challenging tasks for many people. Without proper writing skills, completing the easiest assignment can quickly become an insurmountable problem. From English to business to economics, writing is an essential skill for nearly every subject and career. Offering clear, straightforward guidance, The Facts On File Guide to Good Writing outlines the basics of writing for anyone looking to improve writing skills or knowledge of the English language. From grammar and its correct usage to the process of drafting and editing a variety...

- What Is Style?: understanding what constitutes clarity, elegance, and vigor in writing
- Writing with Style: choosing words, constructing sentences, and finding the appropriate tone
- Choosing a Style: adapting writing to suit circumstance, audience, and purpose
- Style in Presentation: choosing the appropriate style for letters, e-mails, business reports, promotional writing, and other specific requirements.

In clear, non-technical language, this dictionary of more than 1,000 literary terms and themes takes an expanded view of the term "literary." This book gives readers not only a traditional literary vocabulary, but also the knowledge of related theoretical, historical, and cultural terms they need in the interdisciplinary world of contemporary literary studies.

- Trademarked words, such as Bake-Off, Faberge, and Winnebago
- Common acronyms and abbreviations, such as ASAP, DVD, and P2P, which often have simple rhymes
- Many biographical and geographical names, such as Bristol, Hormuz, Jackson, and Tristan
- Common new technological terms, such as blog and wi-fi
- Slang or informal words, useful to writers of light verse and songs, such as lemme, gotta, and shoulda.