A Ballengers Curious Writers Dictionary - A Review

A Ballengers' Curious Writer's Dictionary - A ReviewA Ballenger's Curious Writer's Dictionary, by George Henry Ballenger, may be the best book I've ever read on this ever-popular topic. As a writing teacher, I can tell you that not only does the book contain information on effective writing techniques, but it also contains links to other articles and essays written by other writers and editors, providing vital insight and tools for even the most inexperienced essayist.A Ballengers writing workbook is an ideal choice for anyone who would like to learn more about these fascinating writings. The author's writing style is clear and to the point, yet his insights into what makes a good essay, as well as advice on how to write a personal essay, are as valuable as his prose. His list of what writing and editing tools to use as well as more extensive reading lists are great ideas for making sure you're fully prepared before you begin writing your own.When reading A Ballengers' Curious Writer 's Dictionary, I was really impressed with the details he included about the different elements in a good essay. For example, he has an entire section dedicated to how to create an introduction. It starts out by briefly explaining what the entire essay is about, and then explains that the introduction 'sets the tone for the body'. This intro is the initial stage of the essay, so it's important that it gives a clear reason for the entire piece.He points out that it's also important that the introduction is short and succinct. The introduction should not take up more than two-thirds of the overall length of the essay. You need to make it easy for the reader to understand, whether they're a beginning writer or someone who's completed several essays on this subject already.Another interesting part of the introduction is the next few pages, where he explains why it's important to write your thesis statement before starting the actual essay. That statement, he says, will set the tone for everything else in the essay. It defines the topic, provides supporting evidence, gives a general idea of what you're going to cover, and keeps the reader informed throughout the piece.The section after the introduction touches on using the senses to communicate and interpreting the message you're trying to send. In other words, all the tools and information necessary to properly communicate your ideas, if it's true, should be presented in the same ways throughout the essay. When this happens, the overall feeling is one of togetherness and unity.One thing I really liked about the information included in A Ballengers' Curious Writer's Dictionary is that it discusses other writing tips that apply to writing a personal essay as well. One tip involves using the entire essay to create the thesis statement and ending it on a positive note. Of course, you'll have to remember to write out the final sentence, so the reader doesn't get the wrong impression.You'll also learn a new way to struc ture a thesis statement and ending. I always appreciated how well the author explained the intricacies of the process. If you're going to read the next chapter of this very popular book, you'll find that it has a lot of really good material for you to read and learn about.