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12 Must-Read Books to Transform Your Writing: From Grammar to Storytelling Mastery

victortanws
 

One of the coolest things that we can do as a species is write, and write you definitely have to on every aspect of life and also the IGCSE First Language English exams.

Almost every good writer is also a good reader, and how appropriate that is given that language is so vast, so wide, and so infinitely creative that people can even write books about writing.

Here are a couple of recommendations for you on your writing journey for those of you who are interested in writing for pleasure (thinking about how to put your sentences together and wanting to get new perspectives apart from those which I offer through this website).

Each of these is going to be an interesting read, and I definitely recommend at least exploring them.

Here we go!

1. Foundational Writing Guides

  • The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
    • Why: Strunk & White is a standard issue writing guide for university students, but don’t let that deceive you – it is filled with rules that, although may seem simple, are actually both deep and very effective. This book taught me how to cut out unnecessary words, tighten up my sentences, and make every word count. If you want to learn to write with strength and confidence, this book is a good first step!
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/eltsofstyle 
  • On Writing Well by William Zinsser
    • Why: This is a great book for those of you who are interested in nonfiction. When I first started out, I struggled with trying to be “fancy” in my writing—overloading it with unnecessary complexity. Complexity is often the enemy of delivering a message across. And for those of you who understand what writing is about, this book will provide helpful tips and also a good message to remember.
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/onwritingwellzinsser 
  • Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams and Joseph Bizup
    • Why: Small changes—like adjusting sentence structure— Can elevate your work, and this book will help you refine your voice and improve your flow by teaching you small lessons in clarity and grace that you may very well nee
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/clarityandgrace 

2. Creative Writing and Inspiration

  • On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
    • Why: This is more of a memoir about a very famous writer’s writing process. It’s not just about the craft or the discipline, which you’ll certainly learn about—King also talks about the perseverance needed to get through the tough days, which should be an interesting look into the mindset of someone who has reached world-renowned status when it comes to writing.
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/onwritingbyking 
  • Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
    • Why: Lamott’s writing is filled with humor and wisdom; she teaches that writing doesn’t have to be perfect from the get-go and that revising is part of the process – a good book on embracing imperfection can add a lot of colour into how we process the world and construct it with our words.
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/birdbybirdlamott 
  • The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
    • Why: Dillard’s vivid descriptions and meditations on the act of writing inspired me to approach my work with more reverence and commitment. It gave me the perspective I needed to continue writing, even when it felt like the world wasn’t interested in what I had to say – a good reflection point for those of you who are students and just exploring your writing identities.
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/writinglifedillard 

3. Writing Techniques and Craft

  • Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark
    • Why: This book gives you a toolbox of practical, hands-on techniques that you can apply immediately. What’s great about this book is that you can pick it up, read a short chapter, and start applying the advice right away.
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/writingtools 
  • Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee
    • Why: As someone who writes both fiction and nonfiction, McKee’s insights into story structure were eye-opening. While the book is aimed at screenwriters, the principles of character development, plot progression, and creating emotional engagement resonate with all kinds of writers and provide some pretty interesting insights into screenwriting, which is something that not everyone is familiar with and that is definitely worth learning about.
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/mckeesss 
  • The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
    • Why: Every writer knows that self-doubt and procrastination are constant companions. This book helped me see those moments as part of the process, and it showed me how to fight through them. It gave me the mental tools to treat my writing like a professional, no matter how tough things got.
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/twoa 

4. Grammar and Sentence Craft

  • Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose by Constance Hale
    • Why: Grammar isn’t just about rules; it’s about style. Learning to break the rules intentionally for effect opens up a whole new level of writing, and Sin and Syntax is an interesting introduction to that.
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/sinandsyntax 
  • Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T. O’Conner
    • Why: O’Conner’s approach to grammar is lighthearted and accessible, and that’s what makes it so valuable, and it helps you understand that proper grammar is not just about being “correct”—it’s about making your writing clearer and more effective.
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/woeisi 

5. Miscellaneous (but interesting!)

  • The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker
    • Why:  Ever wonder about how the brain processes style? Discover that from world-renowned Harvard linguistics professor Steven Pinker as he talks about how our writing styles are processed through people’s brains as you think about how your words impact the minds of the people around you.

      It’s definitely a fascinating read and highly recommended if you’re interested in not just writing but also the connection with linguistics and the scientific method!
    • Purchase: https://geni.us/pinkersenseofstyle 
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Blog

A Public Library Memory

victortanws
 

In this blog, I often talk about how to get better at the English language.

Today, I thought I would do something a little different:

I’d like to share a story with you – the story of what I genuinely believe made me good at using English.

I was born in Johor Bahru, Malaysia – but I never really stayed there for long, never really got to know the place very well; because of my father’s job, we often moved from place to place, scattering ourselves across the country – from the south part to the north part of Malaysia. To say the least, it was a bit of a chaotic childhood.

One of the anchor points of that childhood was the Kedah public library.

I remember the scene distinctly, though the details escape me – I am sitting down at a table in morning sunlight, which casts the scene in a soft shade of what I would call resplendent calm; in the path of a ray of light emitted from a window, small dust particles flicker in and out of existence, attendants to the light.

The book appears to me, yet it fades out of memory – but what I remember is how the plastic chair supports me and my mother does as well, sitting behind me as she turns the pages, which flicker and rustle in the sunlight as words sound out softly in the still air.

I couldn’t tell you why that scene is one of the most meaningful I’d ever experienced in my life, but it is there that I remember everything: the library, the smell of books wafting from the shelves – the old and brown paper that touched my fingers as I opened each little book.

There was the wonder of my childhood years – the memories that stream out from small moments that took place when I was just five.

That memory has never escaped me, and the emotions that come with it abide with me whenever I think about books, about what they meant to me growing up, and what they continue to mean to me whether I teach, I read, I learn about the world.

When I think about learning, I think about that ancient memory enshrined in my heart – it causes me to remember that there is a meaning in my learning that converges in escaping back into a time of wonder and towards a time when I was younger, more impressionable, more free-spirited, where a life that could take any shape was a possibility.

Does such a moment exist for you, dear reader?

I wonder.

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Blog Motivation

There Are No Miracle People: The Myth of Being “Naturally Good at English”

victortanws
 

In a recent class, I talked to some of my students about Greek myths – specifically the myth of Daedalus and Icarus, and I think myths are really cool, the students really liked it, and I think I’ll probably do it again. And so today, what I want to talk about is another myth, and that will apply to many of you out there, the myth of being naturally good at English. 

Now many of you out there are reading this, possibly as second language speakers, or people who just haven’t been doing your best on the First Language English exam, to the point that you need help, you need assistance. 

There’s nothing to be ashamed of, but along the way, some of you may have developed the attitude that maybe some people are just naturally good at English. 

You might think, wow, these people just had a natural talent from the outset, wow, these people had a natural talent from the start, how can I possibly compete? 

It’s fate that they’re doing better than me, and all I can do right now is just read this website so I can get last-minute tips before the exam. 

Uh-huh, I know some of you… All too well!

One thing though… It’s not true. 

Unfortunately though, a lot of people believe it – This idea that there’s an insurmountable divide between those who have talent and those to whom it was not given. 

People blaming themselves for not having talent, declaring that it was fate that they weren’t able to do well, making any number of excuses. 

I won’t say that talent doesn’t exist, because that would be disingenuous, a lie to you and me, but in times like these, I do like to think of a famous scholar from an entirely different discipline –

Physics.
And with that in mind, I present you the great polymath and scholar Richard Feynman. 

Feynman was an incredible science educator. Feynman was the creator of the legendary theory of quantum electrodynamics, otherwise known as QED, which describes how light and matter interact with one another. 

Widely regarded as one of the smartest people in the world, his contributions have revolutionized the entire world, and continue to do so in fields such as quantum computing, nanotechnology, laser technology, and so on. 

But why I mention him is none of these reasons: It is because of this 50 second YouTube clip, There Are No Miracle People. 

You can go ahead and watch it right down here, and I guarantee you that it will be a better watch than the majority of the 20 minute long, drivel laden motivational videos that you watch on YouTube.

In the video, Feynman says quite simply what I believe: 

“There are no miracle people. It just happens they got interested in this thing and they learned all this stuff. They’re just people. There’s no talent, a special miracle ability to understand quantum mechanics”… and you can substitute that with English… “or a miracle ability to imagine electromagnetic fields that comes without practice, and reading, and learning, and study.” 

I’ve found that that’s true, most assuredly, for almost all of my students. The students of mine who have done the best are the students who have dedicated time towards actually learning the English language. 

And of course you might say, teacher Victor, that’s unreasonable. 

How could you tell people to study day in day out? We all need our lives.

And to that I say, the very idea of First Language English is that you use it in your day-to-day life. Why should an exam that’s dedicated towards assessing your capability to use English as a first language not test your ability to take in your day-to-day conversation and all the things that come into your life on a day-to-day basis? 

Was it supposed to be easy or trivial? Were you supposed to just read this site or get a premium membership and then gain the grade that you wished for?

Sorry, but it’s not that easy.

By spending more time with English, you will gain so many opportunities that you will scarce be able to even count them. 

But whether you can capitalize on those opportunities or not comes down to recognizing what an opportunity actually is. 

It comes from seeing that that movie, that K-drama, that song, or that interesting article about a celebrity that almost nobody cares about except you, is a potential source of reading, listening, speaking, and writing material to inspire your thoughts and to give you things to think about in the English language. 

A lot of this really is stuff that you’re already doing but you might not interpret it as part of your English learning – and so a huge part of even starting to learn and to become one of those miracle people is to accept that you are constantly in a learning environment, immersed in the English language, and opportunities to develop yourself that you might not see unless you start opening yourself up to the sheer variety of language that exists in this world and that you should learn from. 

When you take that extra step of awareness of how others interact and use language, it will impact your life. 

How people speak, how they think, how they articulate themselves natively in English in order to achieve their purposes, to create effects, whether it’s suspense or anticipation – tell stories that captivate your heart, your mind, and your soul in ways that aren’t exclusive to the medium, whether English, Chinese, Japanese, or whatever it is that your native language is, and that transcends every single medium of discovery. 

Remember that First Language English is not just about your vocabulary and your grammar, it’s about how you use the language. Paying that extra attention and realizing the opportunities for you to learn will enable you to constantly immerse yourself in ways that you may never have anticipated before. 

In closing, I’d like to echo Feynman one more time. 

There are no miracle people. 

Every single one of you who is reading this right now and who will get an A* at the end of the day will have worked hard, will have practiced, will have read papers, will have trained your ears, your tongue, your ability to recognize natural speech patterns, and to put them down on paper even as you go through this process of preparing for one of the most important exams of your entire life. 

Whatever you do though, however you feel right now, and if you take nothing else away from this article, consider this: 

I want you not to cut yourself out by thinking that you couldn’t do it because it was fate, because remember, there never were any miracle people. There were just people who spent more time with the language, who wanted it hard enough. 

True, part of that is a person’s nature, but it’s something that if you are thinking about right now, and if you’ve read all the way to the end, I know that you can bring about in your life, here, now, and today, have some faith in yourself, because I know that if you want to become a miracle person at the end of the day, you can, and you will make that miracle happen and it will not be an accident.

Work hard, my friends – I’m confident that you can create your miracles 🙂

Yours as always,

V.

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