The Art of Nonfiction

After reading about 3/4 of the way through the book, I can safely say that The Art of Nonfiction is the best writing advice I have ever heard.  It has filled all the missing links in my knowledge of how to write, enabling me to be a successful writer.  I still need tons of practice to perfect those skills, but now I understand the "why" for many of the best practices I have learned over the years, such as how to outline, how to write a first draft, and how to edit. She articulates the role of both your conscious and subconscious minds in writing and how to tap each at appropriate times for maximum effectiveness.  She discusses common writing problems (I have my share) and how to overcome them. 

While I don't apply her suggestions much to this blog (because I write more extemporaneously here), I have noticed an impact in my research articles I'm writing.  And if/when I start writing books, theses skills will provide the foundation for completing the books effectively.   The Art of Nonfiction is a book I will have to revisit often over the coming years to remind myself how to be a good writer and to avoid pit falls that many writers succumb too.  I highly recommend it to anyone that writes any nonfiction.