I've been working on improving my writing for about 20 years. When I was inside organizations, I asked some of my colleagues to review my memos and reports. I gained valuable insights. ("A verb, JR, a verb. Please.") But once I started my consulting business 11 years ago, I needed more help with my writing. My early reviewers, such as Dave Smith, James Bach, and Brian Lawrence, gave me useful and helpful feedback. But it wasn't until I participated in one of Jerry Weinberg's writing workshops that I was able to take my writing to the next level.

If you want to take a writing workshop but don't feel you have the time or the money to spend a week at a workshop, buy this book. Work through the exercises--yes, all of them. Listen to Jerry's advice, such as "Never attempt to write something you don't care about" or "Writer's block is not a disorder in you, the writer. It's a deficiency in your writing methods--the mythology you've swallowed about how works get written."

I'm proof these techniques work. I've published three books, over 100 articles, and am working on my next few books. Next few books, you ask? Yes. One of the techniques Jerry suggests is that you have many fieldstones, chunks of work in progress. In progress may mean you've written two words. It may mean you've written several chapter-like things. It may mean you've written 50 words. Fieldstones allow you to make progress on any piece of work, which can allow you to finish more writing projects than you could imagine.

If you want to start your writing career, or if you want to write better, or if you want to revitalize your writing, buy this book.

Dorset House has two days left in their sale (where you could also buy Hiring the Best Knowledge Workers, Techies & Nerds). If you prefer, here's the Amazon link to Weinberg on Writing . But don't let this year pass without obtaining help from the best teacher on writing, Jerry Weinberg.