Good Writing

36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences

By: Anne Lamott, Neal Allen

Narrated by: Anne Lamott, Neal Allen

Two writers show you how to turn a worthy sentence into a memorable one. Good writing can improve your book, your essay, your memo, your blog post, speech or script. These essential rules for persuasive language work on any type of writing, and anyone can learn them quickly.

Each rule is accompanied by examples and a lively pair of essays, the first by Neal Allen, who developed the list of tips over the course of his journalism and corporate careers; the second by his wife, Anne Lamott, acclaimed author of Bird by Bird and 19 other non-fiction works and novels. The authors don't always agree on the specifics, but they are passionate about making better sentences.

Some rules are fundamental. Some are more subtle. Along the way, Good Writing addresses practicalities such as finishing projects despite challenges, trusting editors, and knowing when to break the rules to serve your story.

©2026 Copyright Neal Allen & Anne Lamott. All rights reserved (P)2026 Penguin Random House LLC

Critic reviews

'Good Writing is as sharply specific as Bird by Bird is wanderingly wonderful: as winning a companion piece as two winning companions could create.' (Meredith Maran, The Los Angeles Times)

'Right on time comes an essential guide to good writing from Neal Allen and Anne Lamott ... direct, encouraging, practical and also soulful – a hard combination to pull off.' (Douglas Foster, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University)