Kurt R.A. Giambastiani

Back in my “The View from Here” series, I addressed one common problem I called “Wiggle Words.” I cannot now remember where I came up with the phrase–perhaps I made it up; I’ve been known to invent a thing or two on my own–but I absolutely remember where I first encountered the concept.

Ken Rand’s The 10% Solution is one of the best how-to-write books on my shelf. It is short, clear, and has more bang-for-buck within its covers than most books 4 times its length. Ken has had a long career in fiction and non-fiction both, from novels and short stories to ad-copy, news reports, and PR work. In brief: Ken knows writing.

And this book is pure gold. I first read it about fifteen years ago, and I came away from it with two major lessons under my belt.

First, it taught me the importance of separating the writer part of my brain from the editor part. It’s devilish-hard to do, but it really is crucial not to edit while I’m writing. Writing is creative, while editing is analytical, and the two just should not exist in the same brain at the same time. So, when I write, I try to just write.

It’s one reason that I still write longhand, with pen and paper. If I’m writing “old school,” I can’t swap windows to Google a fact. I don’t see all those annoying red and green squiggles, urging me to correct my spelling or fix my grammar. I write, I cross out, I write some more. I may move things around with bubbles and arrows, but I’m not editing, I’m struggling to say what I want to say.

Second, it taught me how to edit–not rewrite–edit. The 10% Solution showed me the benefits of making multiple passes through the work, each time looking for a different type of error. It showed me where I was using too many words, and taught me why brevity increased quality. With these editing techniques, I got better at rewriting, a critical skill for any writer.

You might think it’s overpriced; at $10, this short little gem is a little over a penny-per-page.

Trust me. You won’t find a better book for the price.

k