Has ever more been written about less?

I am always on the lookout for new, clever books about writing (and believe me, there is no shortage of such books) and this one definitely caught my interest. But reading it was sometimes a long, slow journey through Alphabetland. It wasn't until I was nearly halfway through the book that I felt it actually got interesting. If I wasn't committed to reading this, as a reviewer, it's most likely that I would have stopped well before I got to the better parts.

Author Joe Moran loves the sentence. I mean really loves the sentence. So much so that the opening sections of this book are his tribute, homage, love notes to the sentence. Am I overstating this? There are seven chapters in this book. The first one is called "A Pedant’s Apology <em>Or why I wrote this book</em>" and includes sentences such as:
<blockquote>A mathematical equation and a written sentence have much in common. Both rely on symmetry and balance, often asserting a connection between the seemingly different. Both explain reality in as elegantly concise a form as they can. Both reduce randomness to inevitability, their equals signs or clauses falling into place with a rightness that renders the inchoate and incoherent suddenly clear. Both tell us something about the world outside themselves— but both also swim in their own kind of beauty.</blockquote>
And while Moran is clearly passionate about which he writes, I can't say that he was convincing. There are necessary elements of good writing, and a strong sentence structure is a key part of that. Yeah, I remember freshman English. That's like a lecture or two in a classroom, not an entire book.

Moran never loses site of his obsession with the sentence, but as we get further into the book, the writing becomes more interesting and he gives us little nuggets of wisdom (in the form of sentences, of course): "A long sentence should feel alive, awake, kinetic, aerobic - like a poem."

What I appreciated most was when Moran began to discuss 'flow.' "Flowing sentences are forward-facing, drawing what they need from the previous sentence and then setting up the next one." This seems like a fairly obvious statement, but given some of the books I read, more writers could use this reminder. But the real wisdom comes with: "Flow should feel natural but almost never is." Ah yes ... so many writers need to feel the inspiration but forget that it really takes work.

There are plenty of pearls here. For instance:

"Listen, read and write for the sentences, because the sentence must be got right or nothing will be right."

"A sentence is not about self-expression but about editing your thoughts into a partly feigned fluency, building a ladder of words up to a better self."

But on the whole, I think that Moran could have taken some of his own advice:
<blockquote>"Reading a sentence should never be a grim duty. This obdurate fact about writing stays true however much you scale is up. Most paragraphs are longer than they need to be, likewise most chapters. Most books go on for fifty pages longer than they should, We forget this because it is less effort to speak than to listen. Writing is not a sermon, and as some point, sooner than we think, we should stop. No one is ever as interested as we are in what we have to say."</blockquote>
I know some people who might find this entire book of interest (I'm thinking of you, K), but those people are generally too busy writing their own works to spend the time on this.

Looking for a good book? <em>First You Write Sentence</em> by Joe Moran is not just a primer on writing well or sentence structure, but practically an ode to this building block to better writing.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This a very good book for those who like grammar and English class in general. Thank you to Netgalley for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review

I thought that this would be a "how-to-do" book on writing, but it is more of a "think-about-this" book on sentences and more. Well worth ruminating over!

This book is more than a how-to manual for writers. It's for anyone who loves language, the well-made sentence, It's filled with the love for language and, while it does aim to be something of a style guide, it is not prescriptive or didactic. Moran addresses many writing-related sacred cows like "less is more". The appendix, with 20 sentence-long summaries of all that's in the book, is worth the entire price of the book. A book for all readers and writers.

I really enjoyed a great many things about this book. Characters were fleshed out and the plot was well spaced. Some of the secondary storylines could've used a bit more page space but all in all an enjoyable read!

Always in search of trying to improve my writing, I had hoped 'First You Write a Sentence' would be a bit more of a 'how to' book rather than an intense narrative of how a sentence is brought to life. While it is an interesting read, I think this book is more for a 'true' writer who lives passionately to write, rather than someone like myself who's using it more for professional/personal development and informational writing. In reading books like Mr. Moran's book, it's more obvious to me that I'm just not that kind of a writer -- I'm more of a reader (which is okay).

The author has a way of remembering and pulling together so many sources, so many other writers' quotes, that it should feel like an encyclopedia--but it doesn't. He gently leads you through applications of these quotes and general writing advice so that you don't feel overwhelmed. This would be a great gift for the would-be writer or yourself, if you're feeling blocked.

First portion is fawning over sentences... I get it, its a book about sentences, I just didn't know there were that many anecdotes about sentences.
Second portion is more hammer-and-nail writing techniques, useful for anyone looking to write better in a formal style.

I selected this book, because I am a teacher looking for educational books to help me teach my students. This book was for a different audience. I found a lot of advice for establish writers, however although the advice is good, it's too high for my kids. Love the advice and if my students were more advance, who knows, I might be able to help them with this advice.

I need to learn the lost art of writing clear, short, deep, logical, practical. Every time a read a book about writing I feel almost defeated, it really will take a lifetime to learn. We can read a lot about writing but if we don´t practice we will never ever complete a goal about it. I truly need to review these elements and go through my work. That is why this title got me thinking: you have to start somewhere. I enjoy reading other authors perspectives on this topic. I underlined and took some notes, let´s see where they take me. A writer, blogger or author may benefit from reading this book.

I'm not sure exactly how to describe this book. It's not really a craft book, but more of a long and intelligent conversation about writing. I think writing teachers/professors would find it useful but it's not a great choice for a novice writer looking for advice.

The ability to communicate effectively, even in the face of technological change, is crucial at local and global levels. People of all ages, from elementary students to corporate executives, can develop a singular focus on the process of writing paragraphs, pages, even full research papers; but they are overlooking the key element. In First You Write a Sentence: The Elements of Reading, Writing, and Life, Joe Moran brings us back to the basic building block of written communication, the sentence. Moran lays out the steps (and the often-overlooked value) of a well written sentence; from syntax, to vocabulary, to length. The author’s belief is that a sentence is more than just words, and that “good writing is in reach of anyone.” This book is an excellent resource for writers, but will also speak to educators, readers, and students. Moran includes highly technical writing advice, but also expresses the belief that starting with just one sentence is vital. This is a revolutionary idea for novice writers or fledgling students, who are often taught to look at the sentence for its parts, rather than the magic that can be achieved with a well-crafted sentence.

FIRST YOU WRITE A SENTENCE by Joe Moran probes "The Elements of Reading, Writing . . . and Life," but it is a bit of a disappointment. Unfortunately, this NetGalley preview was missing random letters, such as: "Most books go on for fty pages longer than they should. We forget all this because it is less e ort to speak than to listen." Moran himself says, "reading should never be a grim duty." Yet, even allowing for the poor formatting, this text just seemed like a stream of consciousness generally around the concept of writing without very much practical advice for writers – certainly not for fledgling high school students. There are many tomes from which to choose instead, a number of which Moran cites in his own list of helpful books.

If you geek out on sentences, read this book. A lyrical homage to the oft-neglected sentence, the building block of prose.

First You Write A Sentence – The Elements of Reading, Writing…and Life was the perfect title for this book. The author dissected everything about the structure of the sentence with a myriad of examples from various sources past and present. Those examples were both informative and enlightening. It was well written, well researched, and definitely recommended.

I liked this book. It is inspiring to write. He has a good writing style. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

With "First You Write a Sentence," Joe Moran has hit a fine balance between a style-guide and an ode to writing. It would been five stars if not for Moran's level of presumption for what his reader knows about grammar and writing style. There are times he writes as if giving a lecture at the end of a semester to students who have heard the jargon nonstop for the last fifteen weeks. Luckily, these occurrence are few and far between, but it could be enough to put off a writer with more aspirations than grammar experience or education. It certainly made me feel rusty on terminology at times.

Having said that, Moran's writing is engaging and a pleasure to read. He has mastered the art of the sentence, and once I started reading I couldn't stop.

FIRST YOU WRITE A SENTENCE is a perfect example of how a topic you might find mundane can be delightful. A journey through the history, art, and science behind writing, this book reads like a love letter. Within its pages, author Joe Moran explains how words and their order can be combined to produce what seems like a dream. By including examples of all sorts of writing—like the Bible and Shakespeare—we learn how anyone can create engaging and meaningful prose.


Writing well is tough and Moran proves his skill in this unique book full of interesting examples. Rather than being a how-to guide, it’s part reference book—that you’ll actually want to read entirely—and part historical guide. It reminds me why I love to write and edit and illustrates how writing has evolved. It simplifies the daunting task of writing and is encouraging to those of us who aren’t sure if our writing is good enough. You’ll learn how vital it is to write clearly and how simple is best, contrary to what so many have been taught.


This is a book likely to be enjoyed by writers, readers, and anyone mesmerized by the craft. It’s also a good read for those who like subtle learning; this isn’t a boring how-to guide, rather a practical and intriguing gem. It teaches by example, and you’ll appreciate it for how well it does.