Professors and parents: arm your students with “Writing Without Bullshit”
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Professors and parents: arm your students with “Writing Without Bullshit”

If your high school or college students are about to go back to school, put a copy of “Writing Without Bullshit” in their schoolbags. (Assuming, of course, that your school isn’t offended by a little plain language.) It’s the perfect antidote to the outdated and ossified methods so many writing teachers use. Start them off…

How this guy actually got a job by writing without bullshit

How this guy actually got a job by writing without bullshit

Authors don’t hear from readers that much. It’s usually “there’s a typo on page 116.” But every once in a while, we get something that reveals that our work actually matters. Here’s what Alex from Amsterdam sent me in an email: Mr. Bernoff, I want to send a letter and give my sincere thanks for the insights…

5 good reasons that you can’t outsource being a good writer, no matter what job you have
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5 good reasons that you can’t outsource being a good writer, no matter what job you have

If you’re a technical writer, marketing copywriter, or analyst, your job revolves around writing. Of course you need to write well. But why does it matter for the rest of the working world? I was recently at an innovation-focused gathering and got into a conversation with a public relations professional. When I explained what “Writing…

Harper’s magazine says I’m a bullshitter. Judge for yourself.

Harper’s magazine says I’m a bullshitter. Judge for yourself.

In the March 2017 issue of Harper’s Magazine, Nat Segnit calls me a hypocrite. Now that I’ve studied truth, lies, and bullshit, it’s clear to me that everybody is a hypocrite. So let’s see if he’s got a point. In an article called “Good Plain English: The Problem with Writing Manuals,” Segnit reviews six writing books, including Soul at…

Require my book for your students, and I’ll Skype into your class

Require my book for your students, and I’ll Skype into your class

Dear Professor: If you’re teaching writing in 2017, consider requiring Writing Without Bullshit as a textbook. Here’s why (plus a special offer to push you over the edge): In 2017, your students ought to have a writing book that acknowledges that writing must be different for those who read on screens. It uses modern real-world examples. It addresses…

Change how you write. It’s not that hard. And it’s worth it.

Change how you write. It’s not that hard. And it’s worth it.

The main competition for my book Writing Without Bullshit is not another book. It’s inertia. It’s easier to do nothing. But the changes I’ve suggested aren’t that hard to do, and they make a big difference. The changes are simple and well-defined Here’s what the book says you should change, in a nutshell: Write shorter, and…