Description

300 Days of Better Writing by David Bowman is a unique guide for writing instruction. This day-by-day guide for improving writing is targeted at business professionals, adult learners, and all others who wish to improve their ability to communicate well in writing.

This writing guide focuses on the readers’ needs for clear, non-technical, and practical writing instruction.

This writing guide contains 300 discrete strategies for writing clearly, purposefully, and correctly. Each lesson presents one strategy, with explanations and examples. Topics are intertwined to allow readers to practice one strategy before reading another lesson on the same topic. For example, one day’s lesson may address a particular use of commas, the next might address transitions between paragraphs, while the third might address generating reader agreement. 

Major writing topics (e.g., paragraph structure, audience engagement) are presented as a series of single techniques and strategies distributed through the book, from the beginning steps to advanced techniques. 300 Days of Better Writing contains a topic index and cross-reference guide for each lesson so you can explore each topic fully rather than use the day-by-day approach.

Prior Reviews

Marie McGhee (Program Supervisor for Professional Skills and Development, University of New Mexico Division of Continuing Education): This book is approachable and well organized. Mr. Bowman has amassed a wealth of daily tips to help you produce excellent professional documents. If you have been looking for a practical yet innovative writing guide, you have found it! Uniquely organized into bite-sized pieces of information, this is a book you will want to keep on your desk.

Will Reichard (Senior Vice President of Media, Communications, and Advertising, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce): 300 Days of Better Writing approaches communication the way one would approach trying to eat the proverbial elephant—one bite at a time. Anyone who works through this book steadily is guaranteed by the end to stand ahead of the competition. Besides being packed with valuable information, the topical index also makes it a valuable reference work. As someone who has worked with words his entire career, I highly recommend David Bowman’s 300 Days of Better Writing.

Marc Witkowski (Director of Business Development, HealthFront): 300 Days of Better Writing is an essential writing guide and desktop resource for the busy business professional—practical, easy to follow, and time saving.

Scott Sanders (Associate Chair for Core Writing, Director of Professional Writing and Internships, University of New Mexico): Dave Bowman’s advice on grammar, style, and English usage is both sound and effective because it reflects current scholarly research and best workplace practices. Readers who take Bowman’s advice to heart when they pick up a pen or fire up the word processor will find they are stronger writers for doing so.

John Upchurch (Amazon Reviewer): David Bowman’s book, 300 Days of Better Writing, provides something that few grammar manuals do: motivation. Instead of a dry, lifeless grammar instruction book, the guide is intended as a dose of daily advice with enough variety and wisdom to make the tips stick. Editing, writing, and mechanics are distributed throughout to provide well-rounded readings, quotes provide fodder for discussion and thought, and his examples and explanations are clear and incisive. If you would like to review areas that cause you particular trouble, the topical index in the back makes it easy to locate “Agreement” advice or tips to convince readers or ways to improve transition.

In particular, Bowman explains complex ideas—the ones that often make students’ eyes glaze over—in interesting and approachable ways. Big words and concepts don’t seem nearly as intimidating when broken down into bite-sized chunks and delivered with accuracy and clarity. You’ll find yourself looking forward to the tips and advice–and grasping the ideas quickly.

If you want your writing to grow as you write and learn, this is the book that well carefully lead you, day by day, to improved writing. I’ll still hang on to my The Elements of Style, but this book will go right beside it in my collection.

Elizabeth Ethelbah (Education consultant): After 40 years in education, as a teacher, professional development trainer, and co-owner of a tutoring company, I wish I had 300 Days of Better Writing as a resource. These easy-to-understand, common sense guidelines to better and improved writing do not read like a text book. The examples are full of humor and reflect real life communication. Each writing strategy can stand alone, but the writing and communication categories are easy to find, study, and practice. It is about time we have a writing and communication book of this caliber.

Michael Lopez (Vice President/Chief Management Officer, COMPA Industries, Inc.): 300 Days of Better Writing delivers useful writing advice in a digestible format. The content is like Cliffs Notes of best writing practices, applicable to any professional at all levels of the organization. The content is reminiscent of years of grammar, English, and writing classes and delivers clarity on practices not traditionally taught. Its concise format enables the reader to utilize the book like a Daily Devotional and commit to sustainable improvement. This book has earned its place in my workplace library to be at an arm’s reach for any writing project, large or small.

David Dericotte (Business Manager): David Bowman’s 300 Days of Better Writing is that rare gem in business books that addresses the subject matter efficiently, effectively and with personality. The book’s style and structure make each “daily” lesson easy to understand and help the reader start applying the lesson immediately. In fact, the delivery is so informative, engaging, and enjoyable that you will have difficulty reading only one entry a day! Bowman skillfully hits his intended target on every page, providing great perspective and examples without unnecessary fluff.

Furthermore, Bowman does a superb job of communicating the mechanics, tactics and strategy for each tool, assisting the readers with their immediate challenges while reminding them of the “big picture” objectives involved in any writing effort. Both novice and expert writers will find this a valuable and useful resource. If writing were a mixed-martial art, this book would be in every dojo—dog-eared and covered with notes and highlighter! Each entry felt like a “Red Bull” for writers.

James Wilkinson, Ph.D. (Federal Aviation Administration): I spent the last two weeks reading 300 Days of Better Writing, by David Bowman, so I could write this review. Going into the reading project, I had reached a certain level of “I am impressed” with Mr. Bowman’s ability to change the almost-arcane, often-technical, and usually-jargonized profession of editing into something that we mere mortals might be able to apply. I had come to realize that one did not have to have a graduate degree in English to become a better writer, and, having one of those graduate degrees, I wondered how much easier my life would have been if simple, to-the-point writing tips had been available “back then.

I began the project as I do many others. I opened the book to some page other than the first and began reading. “Day 75: use compound sentences with but to emphasize the importance of your ideas.” Though I would argue against using “but” to emphasize an idea, I see the power of the dichotomy between engineering and art in the example.

After reading that one selection, I continued the process by starting where a more traditional reviewer might—at the beginning. I made my way through several ‘days’ each day until I found that I wanted an answer to a question: What if I am stuck on one area and want to learn more about it, say, transitions. Or convincing my reader; the proper and powerful use of verbs; when and how to use dashes and hyphens; or how to use commas. The back of the book contains a nicely done grouping of what I gather are popular problem areas for writers. Mastering, or just getting better at, the myriad selections could only help one write better.

As I complete the project and write this review, I find myself putting some of the readings into practice. Did I use the proper hyphenation? Are my commas properly placed? Have I used flowery verbs? Do my words have punch to them? Would I convince my readers?

Would a mediocre or good writer become a better writer by reading and applying the book? No doubt he could. Could one learn to be a better writer, no matter what level of education or training she had? Clearly. Have I followed his guidance to make this report clear and powerful? Only time will tell.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has to write anything for impact. A high school or college paper. A graduate thesis or dissertation (though academic writing is far less stylized than popular writing.) A professional paper or report at work. Really, any place where one must put words on paper to convince a reader and no matter what level the writer, writing, or reader, David Bowman’s 300 Days of Better Writing should be read first. My Ph.D. writing would have benefited.

Jason Scott (Founder/CEO, Rasilliant Enterprise): 300 Days of Better Writing is a breath of fresh air to any aspiring or functioning writer. With over 8 years of professional writing experience, I’d like to think that I had a firm handle on the areas of writing I struggle with, but I was wrong. David Bowman presents many writing dilemmas even I was guilty of committing. He not only exposes the problematic writing, but he offers a hands-on strategy to eliminate the undesirable writing behavior(s). There were some topics in which I took up to an hour scribbling and erasing erroneous sentences, attempting to fix years of incorrect writing practices. Every day, I see examples of bad writing that make me cringe. Fortunately, nearly all those issues were addressed in this book.

The Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) revelation expressed throughout this handbook is certain to make any professional writing clear, concise, and cohesive. David addresses issues that writers on all levels of expertise can identify with. A popular quote states, “Ignorance is bliss.” One should not be judged on unlearned knowledge; however, 300 Days of Better Writing has removed all excuses for bad writing and incorrect grammar usage. Overall, this book is informative, personable, and easy to read. I look forward to putting this new found information to use in future writing endeavors. Be prepared to be educated in a method that feels less like lecturing and more like friendly, personal instruction.