The Elements of Style: Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics

This course is for anyone who has been charmed by a novel, article, or tweet and wanted to have similar power as a writer. What makes a sentence pop? What makes a piece of writing seem effortless? Effective writers use words purposefully and grab their readers attention by fulfilling and sometimes disrupting expectations. Grammar is not a set of rules so much as it is a set of tools that enable us to make meaning; it allows us to appeal to the senses by creating rhythm and helping readers to feel and see our ideas. We will fill our collective toolbox through sentence-level choices such as arrangement of words, concrete versus abstract language, and sentence length. We will provide customized exercises for those who wish to work on their grammar and mechanics alongside developing other strategies for powerful, effective writing.