Writing: The Bridge Between Us: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Well McDonald, Marcy

Writing: The Bridge Between Us teaches high school and college composition from the perspective of a professional writer. The book is geared toward homeschoolers but can also be used in a traditional classroom or by individuals who want to improve their writing.

Informal and personal in tone, the book uses a central metaphor -- that writing is like constructing a bridge -- to make abstract concepts clear. Building from the ground up, students learn to analyse syntax, hammer out sound paragraphs, and practice different approaches to organization, including a unique hourglass principle. They study and apply the principles behind the process of writing before learning how to edit what they have written. Once they can build a solid communication bridge, they study various applications, both academic and practical.

Each chapter concludes with exercises that will improve skills in reading, analysis, and discussion, as well as writing. Many of the examples have been culled from actual essays by high school students, while others have been created to add clarity and humor.

Writing is often considered a formidable task, but it doesn't have to be that way. This book demystifies the steps and provides a rigorous yet unintimidating course that will improve the writing of both students and teachers.

A separate teacher's manual is available for those who want additional ideas about how to teach this course.

Marcy McDonald has been a freelance writer and editor since 1980. Her clients include private schools, investors, lawyers, and physicians; she has also written for newspapers and magazines.

She has served as both a writing consultant and writer-in-residence for two county school systems. In this capacity she read, corrected, and suggested improvements for thousands of essays written by high school students.

The author has won awards for her essays, poetry, and commercial work. Her book credits include work on The Teacher's Guidebook: The Writing Project; How To Do Your Own Banking; and Firsthand America: A History of the United States. Forthcoming books include The Kids' Work-Out Book.