写作方法2012blog.jgc.org编辑精选
我学到的关于写作的一些事
Some things I've learnt about writing
导读
这是博主 John Graham-Cumming 分享写作心得的文章，HN 读者围绕写作指南的选择、技术写作的难点以及"为读者而写"展开了讨论。对写作者的价值在于：学会挑选真正有用的写作参考书、警惕"知识迷雾"，并把"站在读者角度"从口号变成可操作的习惯。
可以直接用的写作要点
- 01
动笔前先想清楚读者是谁，公开写作本质上都是写给别人看的，"为自己写"往往只是自欺。
- 02
警惕"知识迷雾"：你懂得越多，越难为不懂的读者写清楚，可试着用同伴视角而非专家视角表达。
- 03
别盲目崇拜 Strunk & White 这类经典指南，其语法建议存在争议，最好搭配更系统的风格书一起读。
- 04
广告业的写作书（如 Writing That Works）擅长把冗长含糊的文字改得简洁切题，同时保住原有语气，值得借鉴。
HN 评论精选
别盲目推崇 Strunk & White，其语法建议有争议；推荐一本分析型、一本实操型的写作书搭配使用。
作为对推荐 Strunk and White 的反驳，请看看《50 Years of Stupid Grammar Advice》——它主要反对的是其中的语法主张，而非风格建议（后者被它称为"乏味但基本无害"）。我强烈推荐两本写作书：《Clear and Simple as the Truth》不是标准写作指南，而是对某类清晰有说服力的写作所做的深入分析；《Style: Towards Clarity and Grace》则更偏具体操作。两本都很出色，后者旧版更短反而更清楚。
telemachos查看英文原文
As a counterpoint to the Strunk and White recommendation, please take a look at this: 50 Years of Stupid Grammar Advice[1]. (Note that it doesn't primarily object to the stylistic advice in S&W, which it calls "vapid" but "mostly harmless". The real objections are to the grammatical claims and advice.) Two books on writing I strongly recommend: Clear and Simple as the Truth: Writing Classic Prose[2], exerpt here[3]. Style: Towards Clarity and Grace - this one has gone through countless versions as the publisher seems to re-release it every academic year. (Make used copies obsolete and raise the price.) I prefer the older, shorter versions to the more recent ones. It was clearer itself when briefer! Anyhow, here's an author search on Amazon - look for older used copies[4]. Edit: Just found this outline of the 6th ed. of the book. A good way to see what he covers in a hurry.[5] The first is not a standard writing guide; it's a thoughtful analysis of what makes a certain kind of writing clear and persuasive. The second is a more nuts-and-bolts guide to writing. They're both excellent. [1]: http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-Grammar/25497 [2]: http://classicprose.com/ [3]: http://classicprose.com/csx.html [4]: http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-M.-Williams/e/B001H6MZ40/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 [5]: http://www.oxfordtutorials.com/StyleTenLessons.htm
"知识迷雾"精准概括了专家写作的困境，也说明同伴视角有时比专家视角更利于学习。
原文说"技术写作的一个风险是我称之为知识迷雾的东西：你对一个主题懂得太多，就很难为知识不足的读者写作"。我从没听过这种说法，但它精辟地总结了要点。我想这也解释了为什么有时从同伴那里学到的东西比从教授（或其他老师）那里更多。
b_emery查看英文原文
> One risk with technical writing is what I call the fog of knowledge. You know so much about a subject that it's hard to write for someone who isn't as knowledgeable. Never heard it described that way, but it brilliantly summarizes the point. I think this is why you sometimes learn better from peers than from profs (or other teachers).
广告业的写作书能有效训练简洁切题的表达，且不牺牲原有语气。
我最喜欢的写作书来自广告业：Kenneth Roman（前奥美 CEO）和 Joel Raphaelson（前奥美创意总监）合著的《Writing That Works》。它把我冗长含糊的邮件、信件和博客改得简洁切题，同时保住了原文的语气。我还在学习，但书里有大量可操作的具体建议。
AhtiK查看英文原文
My favorite book on writing comes from advertising. Two authors, Kenneth Roman (former Ogivly CEO) and Joel Raphaelson (former Ogivly creative director): Writing That Works (http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Works-Communicate-Effectively-Business/dp/0060956437) This book has been transforming my long and vague e-mails, letters and blog posts into more crisp and to the point while keeping the tone of the message. Still learning, the book has tons of concrete advice to follow.
公开写作本质上是为读者而写，"为自己写"的说法站不住脚。
关于"想着读者"，我常听人说"为自己而写"。真相是：所有说自己在为自己写作的人都在撒谎——如果真是为自己写，他们就不会公开发表了。
Swizec查看英文原文
> Think about the reader -> I've often heard people say "write for yourself" Here's the truth, everyone who tells you they're writing for themselves is lying. If they were writing for themselves, they wouldn't publish it publicly.
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