Comparing Strunk and White with Williams

As I was reading through some of my blog postings, I reflected back on what I said after I read Strunk and White's Elements of Style. After I read this book I really enjoyed the information that was available for me to practice. I realized that this book contained a lot of answers that I had questions to as a writer. I feel that this book is focused towards the technical part of writing, rather then the quality or eloquence of it.

Joseph Williams' book Style: Toward Clarity and Grace does begin with the same type of format, or information about writing as does Strunk and White. During the beginning 0f the book Williams begins by teaching the basics needed to write clearly, with a proper flow and emphasis of writing as well. I believe that a lot of these elements are similar in both books. Towards the second half of Williams, he goes into more depth about the eloquence and grace of writing, assuming that we can now write clear, coherent, and appropriately.

Strunk and White never seem to go into detail as the way Williams was able to. I feel that Strunk and White were directed towards a less advanced audience, and so this book was starting at the beginning, or back to the basics as some would say. I feel like Strunk and White were much more opinionated, and were trying to teach their audience how to write without annoying them. I feel like Williams directed his audience towards a much more advanced writer. Even though the beginning chapters begin with a lot of basic rules, it still seems to be more advanced and depth then Strunk and White ever really get to. I also feel like Williams is much more complex, and there is a lot of information to learn, but feel like this was very helpful for a senior in college.