An indispensable handbook for anyone who needs to write, from the student writing an essay to the professional writer working on a story to the manager writing a memo for a tight deadline, Peter Elbow's Writing with Power speaks to everyone who has wrestled with words while seeking to gain power with them. Elbow argues that writing with power doesn't just mean getting power over words and readers; it also means getting power over yourself and over the writing process. He stresses the importance of knowing what you are doing as you write. Acknowledging that writing calls on the opposing skills of creativity and critical thinking, Elbow recommends that students separate the writing process into two stages by using the two skills alternately and allowing each to enhance the other.