From: sterling@lumina.com (Brian Sterling)
Subject: REVIEW: BUGS in Writing by Lyn Dupre, Addison Wesley, 1995
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 1994 16:17:24 -0800

*BUGS in Writing:  A Guide to Debugging Your Prose*
by Lyn Dupre
Addison Wesley, $19.95

As a technical writer and editor for 20 years, I first hefted this
book and thought: Humph, what could anyone possibly say about writing
in 649 pages and 371 footnotes that Strunk and White didn't already
say in their 71-page classic, *The Elements of Style*?  But this book
simply sneaks up like a cat and charms you.

*BUGS in Writing* is written to help you train your ear -- that is,
your ability to hear whether your writing is correct, clear, and
graceful.  The book is long because it has examples and examples of
sentences that are Bad or Ugly or Good or Splendid (BUGS), and the
examples are funny and silly and useful.  Through these examples, you
not only develop your own ear, you also begin to know Lyn and her
lover/husband Max and their two cats Red and BB as well as their
friends and neighbors.  For example, in the short section on the
correct use of "importantly," the examples range from

        BAD:    Importantly, Max forgot to shut the door when he left
                the house, resulting in an influx of raccoons.

        UGLY:   It is important to note that, before Lyn joined Max in
                Woodside, none of the doors had locks on them.

        GOOD:   Lyn thought it important to install locks immediately,
                so she got out her power tools and went to work, even
                though Max was greatly amused by her paranoia.

        SPLENDID:Lyn asked Max to note that the locks would be moot if
                the door were left wide open.

        SPLENDID:Certain of the examples in this book are
                exceptionally silly, but they are importantly so.

It's the only language guide I've ever read that has a subplot.

Although Dupre does present the principles of good writing (the simple
explanation of the difference between "which" and "that," alone, is
worth the price of the book), she mostly *shows* you good writing.  In
addition to sections on many topics of style, usage, syntax,
punctuation, and spelling, the book includes sections on Proposals,
Terms for Human-Computer Interaction, Visual Aids for Presentations,
Style Sheets and Spell Checks, Gender-Specific Words, Authorship on
Research Articles, Design Elements and Eye, and Writer's Block.

The layout of this quality paperback (resembling a thick computer
manual) is as open and inviting as a children's book.  Because the
book is really 150 short columns on writing, arranged in no order
whatsoever, you can dip in and out at your pleasure.  Put the book on
your bedside table or on your computer or wherever it will be
convenient for you to read one or two short segments at a time.  Start
tonight with the section on Writer's Block.

                                        Kitta Reeds
                                        Supervisor, Editing Group
                                        SRI International
                                        kitta@mplvax.sri.com


>from Brian:  Although Addison-Wesley has dated the book 1995, it is
available now.  If your bookstore doesn't yet have it, tell them they
can order it today.  As an engineer, I recommend this book highly
for being both a guide to good technical writing and a delightful
read.

-- 
Brian Sterling                          sterling@lumina.com
Lumina Decision Systems, Inc.
http://www.lumina.com/lumina/