The Secrets of Revising Prose: Learn from Richard Lanham's Classic Book
Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download
If you are a writer who wants to improve your style, clarity, and effectiveness, you might be interested in reading Revising Prose by Richard Lanham. This book is a classic guide on how to revise your prose and eliminate unnecessary words that obscure your meaning. In this article, we will explain what revising prose is, who Richard Lanham is, what the Lard Factor and the Paramedic Method are, why you should read Revising Prose, where you can find Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download, and answer some FAQs about this topic.
Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download
What is Revising Prose?
Revising prose is the process of editing and improving your written text by removing or replacing words that are redundant, vague, passive, abstract, or jargon-filled. The goal of revising prose is to make your writing more clear, concise, direct, lively, and engaging for your readers.
Revising prose is not only about correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting errors. It is also about enhancing your voice, tone, structure, logic, coherence, and persuasiveness. Revising prose is an essential skill for any writer who wants to communicate effectively with their audience.
Who is Richard Lanham?
Richard Lanham is an American professor emeritus of English at UCLA. He is an expert in rhetoric, composition, literary theory, digital humanities, and the history of the book. He has written several books and articles on these topics, including The Economics of Attention, The Electronic Word, Analyzing Prose, and Style: An Anti-Textbook.
One of his most famous and influential books is Revising Prose, which was first published in 1979 and has been revised and updated several times since then. Revising Prose is a practical and accessible guide on how to revise your prose using two simple tools: the Lard Factor and the Paramedic Method.
What is the Lard Factor?
The Lard Factor is a concept that Richard Lanham introduced in Revising Prose to measure the amount of excess words in a sentence. The Lard Factor is calculated by dividing the number of words in the original sentence by the number of words in the revised sentence. The higher the Lard Factor, the more wordy and bloated the sentence is.
For example, consider this sentence:
The reason that he left college was that it was necessary for him to help support his family who were in need of additional income.
This sentence has 19 words. If we revise it to:
He left college to support his needy family.
This sentence has 7 words. The Lard Factor is 19/7 = 2.7. This means that the original sentence had 2.7 times more words than the revised sentence.
The Lard Factor helps you identify sentences that are too long, complex, or verbose. It also helps you see how much you can improve your writing by revising your prose.
How to use the Paramedic Method?
The Paramedic Method is a technique that Richard Lanham developed in Revising Prose to help you revise your prose and reduce the Lard Factor. The Paramedic Method consists of eight steps that you can apply to any sentence:
Circle the prepositions.
Circle the "is" forms.
Find the action. Who is kicking whom?
Put this action in a simple (not compound) active verb.
Start fast - no slow windups.
Read the passage aloud with emphasis and feeling.
Write out each sentence on a blank screen or sheet of paper and mark off its basic rhythmic units with a "/".
Mark off sentence length with a double slash "//".
Let's see how this works with an example:
In order to achieve a better result from your writing efforts, it is important that you should employ some techniques that can assist you in improving your style.
If we apply the Paramedic Method, we get:
Circle the prepositions: In order to achieve a better result from your writing efforts, it is important that you should employ some techniques that can assist you in improving your style.
Circle the "is" forms: In order to achieve a better result from your writing efforts, it is important that you should employ some techniques that can assist you in improving your style.
Find the action. Who is kicking whom? You employ techniques.
Put this action in a simple (not compound) active verb: Employ techniques.
Start fast - no slow windups: Employ techniques to improve your style.
Read the passage aloud with emphasis and feeling: Employ techniques to improve your style.
Write out each sentence on a blank screen or sheet of paper and mark off its basic rhythmic units with a "/": Employ / techniques / to improve / your style /
Mark off sentence length with a double slash "//": Employ / techniques / to improve / your style //
The revised sentence has 6 words, compared to 19 words in the original sentence. The Lard Factor is 19/6 = 3.2. The revised sentence is more clear, concise, direct, and lively than the original sentence.
Why should you read Revising Prose?
You should read Revising Prose because it is a valuable resource for writers of any genre and purpose. Whether you are writing academic, creative, or professional texts, Revising Prose can help you improve your writing skills and achieve your goals. Here are some of the benefits and advantages of reading Revising Prose:
How Revising Prose can improve your academic writing
How Revising Prose can improve your creative writing
If you are a novelist, poet, or storyteller, Revising Prose can help you craft more engaging and memorable stories and characters. Revising Prose can help you avoid clichés, stereotypes, and dull descriptions. It can also help you create more vivid and original images, metaphors, and similes. Revising Prose can help you vary your sentence structure, rhythm, and length to create more dynamic and expressive prose. Revising Prose can help you develop your voice and tone to suit your genre and audience.
How Revising Prose can improve your professional writing
If you are a businessperson, journalist, or marketer, Revising Prose can help you write more effective and persuasive texts that can influence your readers and clients. Revising Prose can help you write more clear and concise emails, letters, resumes, proposals, and reports. It can also help you write more catchy and compelling headlines, slogans, and copy. Revising Prose can help you avoid jargon, ambiguity, and passive voice that can confuse or bore your readers. Revising Prose can help you use the right words and tone to convey your message and personality.
Where can you find Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download?
If you are interested in reading Revising Prose by Richard Lanham, you might be wondering where you can find and download the Pdf version of the book. There are many sources and platforms where you can find Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download, but not all of them are reliable or legal. Some of them might be scams, viruses, or pirated copies that violate the author's rights. To help you find the best sources for Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download, we have compiled a list of free and paid sources that are trustworthy and reputable. Here are the tables that compare them:
Free sources for Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download
Name
Link
Rating
Pros
Cons
PDF Drive
https://www.pdfdrive.com/revising-prose-e158722.html
4/5
No registration or payment required; easy to download; high-quality Pdf file.
Limited availability; might be removed due to copyright issues.
Internet Archive
https://archive.org/details/revisingprose00lanh
4/5
No registration or payment required; easy to download; high-quality Pdf file; supports the preservation of digital books.
Only the first edition is available; might not be updated with the latest revisions.
Academia.edu
https://www.academia.edu/37814067/Revising_Prose_5th_Edition_by_Richard_A_Lanham
3/5
No payment required; easy to download; high-quality Pdf file.
Registration required; might not be authorized by the author or publisher.
Paid sources for Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download
Name
Link
Price
Rating
Pros
Cons
Amazon Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Revising-Prose-Richard-Lanham-ebook/dp/B00B7NPRY8
$9.99
5/5
Easy to download; high-quality Pdf file; supports the author and publisher; compatible with Kindle devices and apps.
Payment required; might not be available in some countries or regions.
Barnes & Noble Nook
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/revising-prose-richard-a-lanham/1100059553
$9.99
5/5
Easy to download; high-quality Pdf file; supports the author and publisher; compatible with Nook devices and apps.
Payment required; might not be available in some countries or regions.
VitalSource
https://www.vitalsource.com/products/revising-prose-richard-a-lanham-v9781315514990
$14.95
4/5
Easy to download; high-quality Pdf file; supports the author and publisher; compatible with various devices and apps.
Payment required; more expensive than other sources.
Conclusion
Revising Prose by Richard Lanham is a must-read book for any writer who wants to improve their style, clarity, and effectiveness. Revising Prose teaches you how to revise your prose using two simple tools: the Lard Factor and the Paramedic Method. Revising Prose can help you write better academic, creative, or professional texts that can impress your readers and clients. Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download is available from various sources and platforms, both free and paid. You can choose the best source for you based on your preferences, budget, and availability. We hope this article has helped you learn more about Revising Prose Richard Lanham Pdf Download and inspired you to read this amazing book.
FAQs
What is the difference between the editions of Revising Prose?
The first edition of Revising Prose was published in 1979 and focused on academic writing. The second edition, published in 1987, expanded the scope to include creative and professional writing. The third edition, published in 1992, added more examples and exercises. The fourth edition, published in 2000, updated the references and illustrations. The fifth edition, published in 2006, revised the layout and design.
How long does it take to read Revising Prose?
Revising Prose is a short and concise book that can be read in a few hours. The book has 176 pages and 10 chapters. Each chapter has a main lesson, examples, exercises, and answers. You can read the book at your own pace and practice the techniques as you go along.
How can I apply Revising Prose to my own writing?
You can apply Revising Prose to your own writing by following these steps:
Write a draft of your text without worrying too much about style or grammar.
Read your draft aloud and mark any sentences that sound awkward, unclear, or wordy.
Calculate the Lard Factor for each sentence and identify the ones that have a high Lard Factor.
Use the Paramedic Method to revise each sentence and reduce the Lard Factor.
Read your revised text aloud and check if it sounds better, clearer, and more concise.
Edit your text for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors.
Ask for feedback from someone else who can give you an objective opinion on your writing.
Make any necessary changes based on the feedback and your own judgment.
What are some other books that are similar to Revising Prose?
If you enjoyed Revising Prose and want to read more books that can help you improve your writing skills, here are some recommendations:
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White: A classic guide on the principles of clear and effective writing.
genres and purposes.
Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams and Joseph Bizup: A detailed guide on how to apply the principles of style to your writing and revise your prose for clarity and grace.
Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark: A collection of practical and proven tips and techniques for improving your writing skills and habits.
Where can I learn more about Richard Lanham and his other works?
If you want to learn more about Richard Lanham and his other works, you can visit his website at http://www.rhetoricainc.com/. There you can find his biography, publications, lectures, videos, and contact information. You can also follow him on Twitter at @RichardLanham.
71b2f0854b