WRITERS: WHAT'S ON MY BOOKSHELF?

Web Writers:

What’s On My
Bookshelf?

Yeah, sure you can find anything on the web but sometimes
grabbing a tool from the bookshelf is faster and comes with a little authority.
It’s a reference book, for crissake.

So, what’s on my bookshelf besides an old cup of coffee that

looks like a science experiment? Here are the tools to keep close at hand.

A Dictionary. Duh.

But a dictionary is more valuable than you think. Yes, it

gives proper spellings but it also provides a definition, part of speech and,
in better resources, connotations – of special interest to ESL authors. Often,
ESL writers select the correct word but don’t recognize the connotations
associated with the word. A dictionary – and a good one – is a must-have tool
for any serious web writer.

Never, ever, ever rely on spell checker alone. This is one

tool you’ll use over and over.

A Manual of Style

These resources provide uniformity in writing. The most
widely-used is The Chicago Manual of Style. Having more than
one style manual provides options
and assurances that the sentence structure or word usage is correct.

Two manuals that I also rely on are The New York Times Style Manual and Strunk and (E.B.)White’s The Elements of Style.

This last resource provides more generalized information on construction of
content architecture and is an absolute must-read for any newb.

A Thesaurus

The thesaurus included with MS Word is okay and quick but
the difference between the right word and the exact right word is the
difference between “a lightning bolt and a match,” according to Mark Twain. He ought to know, yes?

Roget’s Thesaurus: the industry standard.

Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations

This is just a time-saver, especially when you know the
quote, you just want it to be exact in your text. Also a good tool for finding
appropriate quotes by subject, i.e. taxes, children, etc.

I keep a couple of editions of this tool. The quotes change
often so, if you find an old edition at a used book store, consider it “the
find” du jour.

A Desktop Encyclopedia

The fast way to fact check. Napoleon’s birthday? Right
there. Planets in the solar system? Hey, there’s even a diagram! Easy research and actually much faster than sifting through 150,000 search results on Google to verify one simple fact.

Topical Encyclopedias

I do a lot of science writing so I have several science
encyclopedias on the book shelf. I also have an encyclopedia of history since
historical references seem to be a part of my writing more than I realize.

If you specialize in a particular content area, pick up a

couple of specialized encyclopedias or other desk references for fast-fact
research.

An Almanac

Again, fast facts at your fingertips. Don’t assume that web
research is the most efficient in every case. Many times, it isn’t and when
you’re on deadline or working by the hour, minutes add up into hours and the
next thing you know, you’re pulling an all-nighter.

Grab a few tools the next time you’re at the book
store. Consider them an investment and, in some cases, a tax deduction! (Check
with your accountant, first, and don’t blame me if you get audited by the IRS.)

New to web writing? Drop me a line. There's lots of ways to earn money generating content for that giant maw called the world wide web.

Later, authors,

Webwordslinger.com