How to say nothing in 500 words

To many inexperienced writers, “In my opinion, cats have ousted dogs” are just as the same, or even more suitable, as “cats are better than dogs”; however, 20^th century famous linguist and writer Paul Roberts responds to such thinking with a loud and clear “NO!” For the benefits of inexperienced writers, Roberts collaborates with Pearson Education Company and publishes the didactic essay about what constitutes a good writing: How to say nothing in 500 words, a succinct, specific, and meaningful piece of work. Though aim primarily at college writers, the essay’s comprehensible text and simple organization has broaden its audience to any writer wishing for improvement.

       Starting from the very first paragraph, Roberts shows his reader what good writing is. With an amusing anecdote about a student’s thinking process on a college paper and his eventual disappointment, readers are both captured by the text and educated about “bad writing”. However, the anecdote is only a beginning. Roberts then structured his writing into distinct categories about lessons learned from the bad writing, such as “avoid the obvious content” and “get rid of obvious padding” and supported his teachings with specific examples, both good and bad. How does one put words in the right place at the right time? Roberts answers the question with “there are few useful generalizations one can make… but there are perhaps a few” (Roberts 65). The clear examples and categories used by Roberts help the readers of the essay to have a deeper and more immediate understanding of the content. In addition to the beginning anecdote the readers can reflect upon as they read, they are also assisted by numerous distinct examples provided in the essay. To say the least, readers definitely will not say “good grief and turn on the television” (Roberts 65).

       With the closing of the last page of the essay, Roberts’s purpose of both to inform and educate are well accomplished. The strategies and structures Roberts employ in his essay makes his teachings not only simple to understand but also simple to accept with specific examples supporting every claim. The readers, even if they cannot immediately apply their understanding, are now surely aware of what is a good piece of writing.