Good Writing by Neal Allen and Anne Lamott.jpg
Good Writing by Neal Allen and Anne Lamott.jpg

Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences by Neal Allen and Anne Lamott

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Hardcover:

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

36 ways to improve your writing

What separates a forgettable sentence from one readers can't stop thinking about? Neal Allen and Anne Lamott turn thirty-six practical rules into a sentence-level toolkit for any writer.

Praised by The Los Angeles Times as "sharply specific as Bird by Bird is wanderingly wonderful."

In Good Writing, journalist and spiritual coach Neal Allen teams up with his wife, bestselling author Anne Lamott, to share thirty-six practical rules for building better sentences, no matter what you're writing.

Each rule pairs Allen's disciplined, journalism-honed instruction with Lamott's funny, big-hearted counterpoint, covering everything from choosing forceful verbs and cutting filler to using sensory detail, sticking the landing, finishing what you start, and working well with an editor.

The result is equal parts craft manual and marital duet: two writers who don't always agree, brought together by a shared devotion to the sentence.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

36 ways to improve your writing

What separates a forgettable sentence from one readers can't stop thinking about? Neal Allen and Anne Lamott turn thirty-six practical rules into a sentence-level toolkit for any writer.

Praised by The Los Angeles Times as "sharply specific as Bird by Bird is wanderingly wonderful."

In Good Writing, journalist and spiritual coach Neal Allen teams up with his wife, bestselling author Anne Lamott, to share thirty-six practical rules for building better sentences, no matter what you're writing.

Each rule pairs Allen's disciplined, journalism-honed instruction with Lamott's funny, big-hearted counterpoint, covering everything from choosing forceful verbs and cutting filler to using sensory detail, sticking the landing, finishing what you start, and working well with an editor.

The result is equal parts craft manual and marital duet: two writers who don't always agree, brought together by a shared devotion to the sentence.

  • Publisher: Avery

    Title: Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences

    Author: Neal Allen and Anne Lamott

    On Sale Date: March 17, 2026

    ISBN 13: 9798217046959

    Format: Hardcover

    Retail Price: $27.00

    BISAC: Language Arts & Disciplines / Style Manuals

    Page Count: 208

    Dimensions: 5 in W | 8 in H

  • Neal Allen is a writer, spiritual coach, and speaker, and the author of Shapes of Truth and Better Days. His career spans journalism and corporate work, and he holds master's degrees in Political Science and Eastern Classics. Anne Lamott is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books, including Bird by Bird, Traveling Mercies, and Dusk, Night, Dawn, as well as seven novels. A Guggenheim Fellow and member of the California Hall of Fame, she lives in Northern California with Allen, her husband.

  • Readers are calling it practical, funny, and quotable:

    • Readers highlight the banter between Allen and Lamott, several calling Lamott's asides the highlight of the book.

    • Many recommend it as an editing companion, saying they keep it beside their desk to check drafts rule by rule.

    • Some describe it as best for beginners or intermediate writers, noting more experienced writers may find several rules familiar.

    • Multiple readers say they read it in a single sitting, calling it fast, warm, and full of specific, usable advice.

This book is for you if

  • You want concrete, rule-by-rule guidance for tightening your prose, not just abstract inspiration.

  • You loved Bird by Bird and want more of Anne Lamott's voice on the page.

  • You're revising a draft and need a practical checklist for line-level editing.

  • You enjoy hearing two writers disagree, and want to make up your own mind about the rules.

  • You want a writing guide short enough to read in an afternoon and keep on your desk for reference.

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