Getting the Words Right

The Secret to Good Writing

When asked by the Paris Review what compelled him to rewrite the ending of A Farewell to Arms 39 times, Ernest Hemingway replied, “Getting the words right.” His answer echoes what every successful writer knows: The secret to all good writing is revision.

For more than twenty years, Getting the Words Right has helped writers from all professions rewrite, revise, and refine their writing. In this new edition, author Theodore Cheney offers 39 targeted ways you can improve your writing, including how to:

   • create smooth transitions between paragraphs
   • correct the invisible faults of inconsistency, incoherence, and imbalance
   • overcome problems of shifting point of view and style
   • express your ideas clearly by trimming away weak or extra words


You’ll strengthen existing pieces and every future work by applying the three simple principles—reduce, rearrange, and reword. Once the secrets of revision are yours, you’ll be able to follow Hemingway’s lead—and get the words right!