The Elements of Style
BY WILLIAM STRUNK JR., ET AL

Bought a copy of this in Journalism school. Ten years later, I still can't get this sentence out of my head: "Rather, very, little, pretty—these are the leeches that infest the pond of prose, sucking the blood of words." It also contains the oft-quoted "Omit needless words." Vigorous writing is indeed concise. So is this book. Buy it. Only $8 ($4 used).

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
BY WILLIAM K. ZINSSER

Unfortunately, designers are not taught about writing. We are steeped in color theory, typography and layout, but not words. A designer empowered with the ability to understand, respect and sculpt the written word will go far. Spend some time with Zinsser's text. It will pay off.

Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity & Grace (7th Edition)
BY JOSEPH M. WILLIAMS

In the same class as Zinsser, but not as frequently touted. It will help to make your sentences easier to read and understand. Clients will appreciate it, but it will also make a difference in your design. What's particularly vexing about the latest edition of this book is the price: $33. Look for an older edition (pictured left) and pay half that price.

The Copy Editing and Headline Handbook
BY BARBARA G. ELLIS

The jury's still out on this book. The headline writing section is top notch. That alone would be worth the purchase at some newspapers. The copy editing section is workman-like and begins to advance some of AP Style questions a young copy editor might have, but there is still an authoritative text waiting to be written in this field.

The Synonym Finder
BY J.I. RODALE, ET AL

Every since a colleague bought this book for us about 7 years ago, we've been hooked. It's like Roget's on steroids. Not to mention, it's über-cheap at $12.