Writing may be a solitary endeavor, but whether you're crafting the great American novel, drafting a term paper, or penning a memoir, organizing your thoughts from a mass of scattered ideas to a cohesive-and readable-book requires more than a computer spellcheck. You need a companion at your side to offer advice both practical and inspirational-and The Oxford Essential Writer's Reference is it, whether you're a student working on a thesis, a manager preparing a presentation, a beginning writer struggling to make that first sale, or a professional author seeking new resources in the information age. Book jacket.