Roy's Toolbox available soon as a book

If you've been reading these tips by e-mail before they went on the web, you might have grown tired of my frequent plugs a couple years ago for Roy Peter Clark's Fifty Writing Tools series. But if you followed the links and read Roy's advice, I doubt that you grew tired of reading those columns. Soon (Sept. 1) you will be able to read them in book form. As part of the publishing agreement, Poynter will have to take the columns down from the web site on July 1. So I encourage you to take another look at the columns now or to buy the book (you can order it now at that link) or both. And watch for Roy's Writing Tools blog coming soon.

If you're not already a regular reader of the Nieman Narrative Digest, I encourage you to read the current installment, "Endangered Children," which features Barry Siegel's essay on writing about endangered children and some outstanding examples, including Sonia Nazarro's Pulitzer winner, "Enrique's Journey," and Anne Hull's "Young and Gay in Real America."