March 28, 2023: We experienced some technical difficulties, but they appear to be resolved. If you notice anything off, please contact us. Disruptions are rare, but they do happen sometimes. Thank you.
Our Vision
Welcome to The Nature of Writing, a writing guide for anyone who would like a little help with their writing.
We want you to experience something of the beauty and complexity of language, so that you can take pleasure in an apt word, an elegant turn of phrase, or a polished essay.
Our target audience consists of high-school and university students. Our goal is to help students (and teachers) achieve a higher standard of writing. If we struggle with language, our thoughts and ideas will also lack complexity. Improving literacy is therefore the first step in improving our ability to think on a higher level.
Yet writing is about more than learning a few rules. The rules act like the lines on a colouring page, or a frame around a painting. They set limits and create order, but they are not the picture itself. In the same way, the best writing seems natural: we no longer notice the frame. Finding that balance between spontaneity and order is something we’ll help you with.
We charge only a small price ($20 Canadian) if you would like to have your own student profile, practice with quizzes, and track your progress. In addition, we offer discounts for teachers and schools. Please contact us if you’re interested or would like more details.
We hope you enjoy your time on The Nature of Writing!
Special Thanks
We gratefully extend our thanks to Concordia University of Edmonton for providing institutional grant funding to help with website development and design.
Formal Acknowledgment: “The author has received funding from Concordia University of Edmonton for the development of this website, under the Impact stream of the Internal Research Grants Program (last round: May 2019). Concordia University of Edmonton does not request donations from, through or on behalf of its faculty members, and is not a recipient or administrator of any part of the donations made to the author.”