As an experienced newspaper reporter, freelance writer, and columnist, Martin Gurdon knows first-hand the obstacles to writing clearly—and how to overcome them. In this crisply written guide, Gurdon helps aspiring writers get past their fears and put their ideas on the page in a way that’s accurate, informative, and entertaining. He takes them through the fundamentals, including grammar, punctuation, and self-editing, and devotes complete chapters to avoiding cliché, cutting clutter, and producing clean and powerful prose. Gurdon also describes how to tackle both basic journalism and sophisticated feature writing, and provides a useful guide to navigating the freelance journalism market, including tips on how to pitch and sell story ideas. This comprehensive account provides all tools and techniques a writer needs to succeed.