Tell It Like It Is

February 1, 2023
Practical advice to help achieve civic clarity in writing. Poynter Institute senior scholar Clark returns with another warm and witty book on writing in these dark days of misinformation and propaganda. Organizing the book into three sections, the author's goal is "to offer a succinct and practical guide to writing with clarity, honesty, and conviction," and he focuses on what he calls the bright light of "public" writings by journalists, scientists, economists, storytellers, and poets. Clark begins with an example of good public writing: the instructions for an at-home Covid-19 test. The directions featured short paragraphs, simple words, lots of white space, and clear typography, delivering an effective message. The author ends each breezy chapter with a "Highlights" section of examples and suggestions--e.g., "Read your sentence aloud to see if you can follow it." Short is always good when explaining complex issues. Avoid jargon, and use as few numbers as possible. Clear charts and graphs can be helpful. Write with the reader's interest in mind. Let first drafts "cool off for a while." An apt analogy is a "powerful but underutilized tool in the writer's workbench." In the second section, Clark turns his attention to telling good stories in the public interest. He explores the differences between reports and stories and the importance of writing in service of public ritual and working on making important information interesting. The last section focuses on honesty and candor in public writing and how writers can "develop a sense of mission and purpose." Clark also reminds us that readers benefit from both showing and telling. He discusses the need for neutrality in public writing and the poison of propaganda as well as the best way to debunk information without calling more attention to it. He explains why he likes the semicolon and "one of the most useful and underappreciated words in the English language: that." A common-sense refresher course on clear, informative writing.

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April 3, 2023
Writing for the general public comes with responsibility. A prolific author on the topic of writing, Clark (Murder Your Darlings, 2020) directs his attention to writers who carry this weight, making it a guide that journalists, both seasoned and aspiring, will find filled with explicit instructions for writing clearly to convey information. Clark provides step-by-step instructions for writing with intention and faithfulness to facts. Study good writing when you find it, he advises, and create rhythm in your work by adjusting the pace for readers. Most importantly, Clark points out that the job of a good public writer is to bring attention to the important details, as well as take responsibility for the information being put into the world. Short chapters with bite-sized pieces of information are highly digestible, and don't need to be read in chronological order. A wise reference point for all journalists and writers of nonfiction.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 28, 2023

This book is a fine how-to for what Clark (sr. scholar, Poynter Institute; Murder Your Darlings) calls "public writing," which he defines as a clear, compelling presentation of hard facts and urgent topics of contemporary life. The author argues that a transparent prose style is the most effective means of communicating big civic issues and pressing problems to a general audience. The book's recommendations spring from samples of the best journalistic reports and from compelling social fiction, both of which must enable understanding of the most difficult realities of human life. Moreover, Clark notes, communicating with clarity fulfills a writer's moral obligation to present the most sacred and profane human experiences in the clearest possible language. The book is arranged into three general sections, one for each characteristic of the best public writing: the obligation to use plain language, the power of storytelling, and the importance of honesty and candor. VERDICT This book is a vigorous argument for literary commitment and transparency that is itself a delight to read.--Dorian Gossy

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