On Writing Well, the iconic book on effective writing, may now have a rival

Online, October 4, 2010 (Newswire.com) - (To the Editor:This news release contains several abbreviated quotations to support the thesis of the headline. You will find more extensive quotes at the end as a kind of addendum. Names and contact information for the persons quoted will be supplied on request.)

Over the past 35 years, William Zinsser's book On Writing Well has become the indispensable companion for anyone seeking to write more effectively. Since its first publication in 1976, the book has sold nearly 1.5 million copies, with no signs of slowing down.

However The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional by Philip Yaffe, published in March 2010, may be lining up to give it a run for its money. Mr. Yaffe is a mathematician, journalist, and international communication consultant living in Brussels, Belgium.

The 285-page tome already carries a back-cover testimonial from William Blundell, long-time writer and editor with The Wall Street Journal, and widely respected writing coach. Blundell says: "You've done an admirable job of dealing with the extremely difficult job of teaching business people how to communicate intelligibly, let alone effectively." In her back-cover testimonial, Mary Jae Klechner, Ph.D. and professor of writing says: "Quite simply, this book is terrific."

The majority of early reviews seem to agree. According to one reviewer, "We have long said that William Zinsser's On Writing Well is the best guide around for anybody who wants to craft clear, accessible prose. But writer Phillip Yaffe adds quite a bit to the mix."

A second reviewer compares The Gettysburg Approach to another writing classic. "One of my favorite references for writers is The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I believe Professor Strunk would, if he were alive today, have nice things to say about this book by Philip Yaffe. In fact, Mr. Yaffe espouses the same core concepts of writing. This isn't a remake, however, of The Elements of Style. It's an original work, and it's well done. It's also badly needed in this era of semi-literacy and poor speaking."

A distinguishing characteristic of The Gettysburg Approach is its focus on fundamentals, which the author rigorously separates from tips and techniques.

"Mr. Yaffe feels that the underlying core elements of the discipline of writing have not been sufficiently noticed or taught. Inspired by Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the author sets out to provide for this insufficiency . . . Many of his tips and suggestions will be familiar to serious writers. Other ideas and techniques presented strike the professional and novice like a ray suddenly emerging from behind the clouds."

Another of the book's distinguishing characteristics is how it brings together both writing and public speaking between the same covers.

"The difference between this book and other writing books is that it marries writing and public speaking/giving presentations in a way I haven't seen before. It uses the same prescription (with just a few little tweaks) for writing that it does for public speaking. I plan to use the ideas written out in the book for my next presentation."

"Mr. Yaffe delivers a comprehensive and infinitely helpful guide to assisting people in their writing and speaking skills. It stresses the idea that competence in writing can assist one's speaking skills, and vice versa . . . The book is professional and accurate, but never does it become boring or pretentious. One can read it at once, absorbing all of the information in one sitting, or simply use it as a go-to guide when planning out a piece of writing or a presentation."

A number of reviewers applaud The Gettysburg Approach for going beyond its brief of teaching expository (non-fiction) writing and speaking by also being relevant to creative (non-fiction) writing.

"If you write fiction, non-fiction, speak in public or just want to be a better communicator, I don't believe you will find a better book for obtaining practical and powerful tools for improving communication."

"This book engaged my interest from the first page. Although it might not be a novel with characters, plot, scenes and dialogue, it will help you learn how to create those scenes, write your news or magazine articles, and come straight to the point. Most important, it will teach you how to get readers, and listeners when giving a speech, to want to read or listen to what you have written or what you are saying."

"The book explains everything you could possibly need to know about writing, both creative and expository. From characters and plots to dialogue and scenes, everything is covered and no stone is left unturned . . . I would definitely recommend this book to all writers and public speakers. There is something to learn for everyone. This is one writing guide that I will be referring to again and again."

"While The Gettysburg Approach is aimed primarily at non-fiction writers and speakers, the fiction writer could glean much that can be applied to teaching workshops at conferences, speaking at events, and writing promotional material. It's a quick read, but keep a highlighter handy to mark those tips and points you'll want to come back to when the need arises."

But how does The Gettysburg Approach combine such apparently disparate elements? Numerous reviewers attribute this to its carefully crafted pedagogy.

"The book covers the fundamental skills you need to write (and speak) correctly, so that your meaning is crystal clear to your audience. To help with understanding these fundamentals, there are dozens of examples and exercises. Then a number of speeches and documents are analyzed in detail, so you can learn from practical examples."

"Good writing is always hard work; however, it becomes rather easier when you are clear about what you are trying to achieve. The Gettysburg Approach defines the objectives with almost mathematical rigor."

"The Gettysburg Approach is written in an informal, anecdotal style that distinguishes it from most other writing manuals. It is fun to read and so concisely written that it is probably the only such manual I have read from cover-to-cover."

"Since Mr. Yaffe is a master of the very principles he writes about, the book is a fast read. All of the examples serve to clarify the points, and when you finish reading it, you may never look at writing the same way again."

"If you read only one self-help book this year, I implore you to consider The Gettysburg Approach. It will be indispensable to you, to your writing, and to your speaking."

So what does author Philip Yaffe think about the possibility of rivaling William Zinnser as a writing guru?

"I blush at even being mentioned in the same breath as Prof. Zinsser. His book has stood the test of time (35 years); mine is barely out of the starting gate. Also, we approach communication from rather different starting points. My best hope is that my book may someday stand along side Prof. Zinsser's as a companion piece -- but certainly never as a rival."

Biographical Information

Philip Yaffe was born in Boston in 1942 and grew up in Los Angeles. In 1965 he graduated in mathematics from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), where he was also editor-in-chief of the Daily Bruin, the daily student newspaper.

Mr. Yaffe has more than 40 years of experience in journalism and marketing communication. At various points in his career, he has been a teacher of journalism, a reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal, an account executive with a major international press relations agency, European marketing communication director with two major international companies, and a founding partner of a marketing communication agency in Brussels, Belgium, where he has lived since 1974. Contact: [email protected] or [email protected].

Addendum of Quotations

Effective writing and speaking are critical for all students and professionals in this challenging and competitive world. Professional level writing and speaking depend on only a handful of easy-to-understand principles. The Gettysburg Approach goes straight to the foundations, defines these principles and explains how to apply them. Through a variety of examples and simple exercises, Yaffe's book will help anyone -- even those of us who think we know everything about the craft of writing -- sharpen their skills and rapidly learn to write and speak clearly, concisely, and persuasively.

In Philip Yaffe's The Gettysburg Approach to Writing and Speaking like a Professional, he delivers a comprehensive and infinitely helpful guide to assisting people in their writing and speaking skills. It stresses the idea that competence in writing can assist one's speaking skills, and vice versa . . . The book is professional and accurate, but never does it become boring or pretentious. One can read it at once, absorbing all of the information in one sitting, or simply use it as a go-to guide when planning out a piece of writing or a presentation.

I was particularly captivated by his counterintuitive writing tips. Here's a sampler: Write the executive summary before you compose the body of a report; this alerts you to what you should emphasize as you go along. Contrary to what we are often taught, sometimes a logically constructed longer sentence is easier to understand than several shorter ones. It's perfectly acceptable to write paragraphs that are very short when you want to highlight or set them off (see below).

If you write fiction, non-fiction, speak in public or just want to be a better communicator, I don't believe you will find a better book for attaining practical and powerful tools for improving communication. The body of Yaffe's book is full of clear and concise examples of good writing and why they rate as such. The appendices (which take up nearly 2/3 of the book) are a set of powerful demonstrations, exercises and tips that utilize and/or emphasize the principles and techniques he hopes you have learned.

Mr. Yaffe feels that the underlying core elements of the discipline of writing have not been sufficiently noticed or taught. Inspired by Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the author sets out to provide for this insufficiency . . . Many of his tips and suggestions will be familiar to serious writers. Other ideas and techniques presented strike the professional and novice like a ray suddenly emerging from behind the clouds . . . I am enthusiastically employing new ideas and techniques gleaned from Yaffe's thorough examination.

The Gettysburg Approach is a good book, concerned with the eternal problems of effective writing and speaking, issues which are crucial for students and professionals in a world where getting attention and keeping it is becoming more and more difficult. . . According to Mr. Yaffe, professional level writing and speaking depend on only a handful of easy-to-understand principles. The Gettysburg Approach goes straight to the foundations, defines these principals and explains how to apply them.

The difference between this book and other writing books was that this book married writing and public speaking/giving presentations in a way I haven't seen before. It used the same prescription (with just a few little tweaks) for writing that it did for public speaking, and I plan to use the ideas written out in the book for my next presentation.

What makes this book different from the many others that deal with the same topic is its creative approach in using the Gettysburg Address as a vehicle for its lessons. It is an excellent resource for writers and speakers. Moreover, it is not very often where we have the opportunity to learn at the feet of a great writing master.

Good communication lies in getting the reader or listener to understand and agree with your key points. In The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional, Philip Yaffe provides a clear explanation of how this can be achieved. Yaffe's ideas about writing are simple, clear and powerful.

This book engaged my interest from the first page. Although it might not be a novel with characters, plot, scenes and dialogue, it will help you learn how to create those scenes, write your news or magazine article, and come straight to the point. Most important, it will teach you how to get readers and listeners when giving a speech to want to read or listen to what you have written or saying . . . This is a must read for journalists, college students, educators, and public speakers. I really think that this book is presented in an interesting, concise and clear manner. The information presented is interesting and the examples are easy to understand. The exercises at the end of the book are invaluable. . . Where was this great book when I was in college taking English and writing term papers! I am definitely going to use this book as a guide and resource when writing my book reviews and next children's book to help me write a better review that is precise, clear and as long as necessary and short at possible.

This book makes learning a joy and not a chore. You will learn the difference between Creative Writing vs. Expository Writing; Essential Attitude towards Expository Writing; General Writing Tips and Techniques; How Writing and Speaking Are Similar and How They Differ; Tips for Giving Better Presentations; How to Really Get Into the Mind of the Reader. These are only a few of the myriad facets of this invaluable book.

Philip Yaffe's The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional (Indi Publishing Group) is the sort of book I really needed in school. Hell, I really need it now . . . In this 275 page book, the author introduces techniques that will enable writers to put as much verve in their press releases as their poetry. He reiterates the rules of clear, concise writing in a down-to-earth, relatable style. You'll recognize old evergreens like "Use Active Voice", "Write Fast, Edit Slow" and "Avoid Too Many Prepositions in One Sentence" from journalism class, Strunk and White, and the Chicago Manual of Style.Yaffe takes these rules and provides comparisons between poor, better and best versions of them in action. You'll find yourself referring to these examples and the other tips in The Gettysburg Approach when struggling for the best way to edit a report, article or manual . . . . The Gettysburg Approach to Writing and Speaking like a Professional is a great reference book for seasoned journalists, bloggers, students and anyone who wants to improve their non-fiction writing skills.

One of my favorite references for writers is The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White. I believe Professor Strunk would, if he were alive today, have nice things to say about this book by Yaffe. In fact, Yaffe espouses the same core concepts of writing. This isn't a remake, however, of TES. It's an original work, and it's well done. It's also badly needed in this era of semi-literacy and poor speaking. Anyone who communicates with other human beings can benefit from reading this book and applying the lessons therein . . . If you don't communicate with other people, then you probably won't miss anything by not reading this book. On the other hand, if you live on planet Earth then this book is well worth the cover price. Read it, study it, apply it. You'll be glad you did.

The book covers the fundamental skills you need to write (and speak) correctly, so your meaning is crystal clear to your audience. And to help with understanding these fundamentals, there are dozens of examples and exercises. Then a number of speeches and documents are analyzed in detail, so you can learn from practical examples . . . A highly recommended resource for anyone who wishes to write or speak in a professional manner.

Philip Yaffe's The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional so clearly teaches the fundamental necessities of professional writing and speaking in an intelligible way that anyone could understand. He strips the layers off one by one and addresses every minuscule question he poses . . . The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional is a fantastic book for those who find themselves stumbling when confronted with those dastardly symbols we call words.

Yaffe denies the neutrality of any element of a text. His most important tip: "Whatever that doesn't add to a text, subtracts from it." The purpose of professional expository writing, he asserts, is to inform and instruct. Since people would rather spend their time being amused and entertained, the fundamental attitude should be: "No one wants to read what you are going to write." So what can be done? Yaffe's approach is simple and powerful: "Organize information to generate interest." Appendix B is all about how to excite reader interest . . . The principles of clarity, concision and density take the form of near mathematical equations. Besides the inverted pyramid structure, Yaffe explains the separation technique, stop reading test and the question and answer method. Appendix L discusses Yaffe's law: "If you give people what they want first, they are likely to accept anything else you want them to have. If you give them what you want first, chances are they won't accept anything at all."

I was captivated from the first page of this book and found it to be a truly remarkable read. The book explains everything you could possibly need to know about writing both creatively and expository. From characters and plots to dialogue and scenes, everything was covered and no stone was left unturned . . . I would definitely recommend this book to all writers and public speakers. There is something to learn for everyone. This is one writing guide that I will be referring to again and again.

Philip Yaffe very clearly outlines, in simple terms, the real rules to professional writing. A lot of these rules were familiar to me from my past academic pursuits, but I still was able to learn a lot from the book. I think this would actually make a wonderful textbook for a writing course at the college level. I believe if more students had textbooks like this one, there would be far more success in academia today. I particularly liked the plethora of examples for the different rules. There are over 100 pages of appendices just full of examples and exercises . . . I highly recommend this book to any serious scholar, regardless of subject matter, because its usefulness will know no bounds when you sit to do professional writing.

Mr. Philip Yaffe, a marketing communication consultant and a former feature writer with The Wall Street Journal, seeks to improve writing and speaking styles for anyone willing to learn. This even includes those of you who speak English as a second language. Considering that the book is targeted at such a large audience, can it really help you write better? Can it even help you if you think you are already "good" at writing and speaking? Absolutely! . . . Are you in a pinch for time? Remember, this book was designed to fit your lifestyle. You only need to invest about 5-15 minutes at a time. Most of the material is organized for easy comprehension and digestion, whether you read the material over a relatively shorter or longer timeframe.

After what Yaffe terms "An Indispensable Introduction," he begins by teaching fundamentals of good writing. His take on this topic differs from any I've seen, as he attempts to use logic along with his examples. He seems to teach a mindset rather than writing principles or a writing style . . . Section Three, the Appendices, covers over 150 pages, and is designed to provide detailed information on specific topics such as how to get into the mind of your reader, how to excite reader interest, how to get the most from your word processor. He also includes exercises and examples throughout these pages. The Gettysburg Approach offers an unusual slant to enhancing your writing and provides some unique suggestions for speaking on a more professional level..

Yaffe prefers the latter approach, and he shows us how to get and keep the reader's attention though a series of rather simple principles which he details throughout the course of the book: clarity, conciseness, and density. Writing isn't an exercise of showing off your vocabulary or ability to string complex ideas together; it's a method of communication. Since Yaffe is a master of the very principles he writes about, the book is a fast read. All of the examples serve to clarify the points, and when you finish reading it, you may never look at writing the same way again.

The first thing to say about the book is that the author certainly takes his own medicine and in doing so has presented a very readable tome. It is also packed with sage advice, including uncommon wisdom to take your writing and speaking beyond the ordinary and towards the extraordinary.

Much of what Yaffe says about writing and speaking skills is common sense and will already be second nature to some readers. But just as good writing habits become second nature with repetition, the same is true for bad ones; after a while, they will feel as correct to the writer's "ear" as the real thing. The appendix exercises address this problem by providing poorly written pieces that are to be edited and rewritten in the author's suggested style. These exercises are, in fact, where most of the book's real teaching occurs . . . The Gettysburg Approach is written in an informal, anecdotal style that distinguishes it from most other writing manuals. It is fun to read and so concisely written that it is probably the only such manual I have read from cover-to-cover.

The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional by Philip Yaffe offers a common sense, easy to understand approach to expert and scholarly writing and presentation. He uses the Gettysburg Address as his basis. This book should be required reading in high school and college!

While The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional is aimed primarily at non-fiction writers and speakers, the fiction writer could glean much that can be applied to teaching workshops at conferences, speaking at events, and writing promotional material. It's a quick read, but keep a highlighter handy to mark those tips and points you'll want to come back to when the need arises.

I found the book to be interesting, informative, personable, and even funny at times. Yaffe sprinkled anecdotes throughout the text which lightened the tone of the book, and made it feel as if it was a friendly tutoring session rather than a pre-final lecture . . . These are brilliant tips that I wish were used more often, especially in the workplace. I detest having to read through pages and pages of a document just to learn one bit of information that could have been explained in a paragraph-long brief up front. I wish that this technique was used more widely!

Ever wanted to write the perfect term paper or ace a weighty presentation? Philip Yaffe's The Gettysburg Approach will give the keys to successful writing to any student wishing to learn and willing to do the legwork. The text itself is a useful example of all of the principles, tips, and instructions the author explains throughout the book . . . Aimed at college freshmen, The Gettysburg Approach would also be good for high school students. Beyond the student application, I believe this book to be a good investment for new teachers wishing to keep students engaged. In addition, it would be good for presenters, speakers, and professionals that rely heavily on written communication.

If you read only one self-help book this year, I implore you to consider The Gettysburg Approach. It will be indispensable to you, to your writing, and to your speaking . . . The Gettysburg Approach will make you a more effective writer, a more interesting writer, and an overall better writer. Yaffe packs a lot into this book, but it's all worthwhile and valuable, with examples to illustrate his points (both what to do and what not to do). Do you really know how to write a strong, well-structured sentence? Or what hot spots are (hint: it's the first and last words of a sentence)? Yaffe explains how to properly use bullet points, how to incorporate the "inverted pyramid" in your writing, and - most importantly - the difference between creative writing and expository writing. The Gettysburg Approach is one of the most valuable writing books I have ever come across. Every high school and college student should read it, as should anyone who wants their writing to be taken seriously.

Good writing is always hard work; however, it becomes rather easier when you are clear about what you are trying to achieve. The Gettysburg Approach defines the objectives with almost mathematical rigor. I would recommend this book for students at all levels, but particularly for high school students preparing for higher education, and for university freshmen and sophomores struggling to adjust to their new environment.

The tone of this book is at once appropriately professional and personal. It doesn't talk down to readers, but instead encourages them to think about ordinary activity in a different way . . . The Gettysburg Approach does a very nice job of showing how oral communication and written communication can be integrated, which is now a common expectation, especially in business presentations. The material on construction of visuals to accompany oral presentations is especially good . . . I was particularly impressed with the well thought-out exercises in the Appendix. In many books the exercises are thrown together as an afterthought, but not in The Gettysburg Approach. The exercises, for me, are a principal reason for choosing this book over others.