As someone who writes for a living, I've read countless writing guides, but Martin Li's 'How to Write Better' stands out for its practical approach. The book breaks down complex concepts into digestible chunks without dumbing them down - a rare balance that both beginners and pros will appreciate.

The real gem? The 'commonly confused words' section at the end. I've caught myself referring back to it multiple times when drafting client pieces. That alone makes the book worth its price tag for any working writer.

However, I did notice some grammatical errors that slipped through editing - ironic for a writing manual. While they don't ruin the content, they do make me question the proofreading process.

What surprised me most were the concrete examples showing right vs wrong sentence structures. As a visual learner, seeing side-by-side comparisons helped concepts click faster than abstract explanations ever could.

The book shines when it gets specific - like demonstrating how to craft magnetic article leads. I actually applied these techniques to a recent magazine pitch and landed the assignment! That said, early chapters do rehash generic advice you'll find in most writing guides.

For non-native English speakers (like one reviewer mentioned), this is gold. It explains nuances even some natives struggle with, like effect/affect usage. Though fair warning - the promised 'how to write a book' chapter just redirects you to buy another product.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely - as a reference tool rather than cover-to-cover reading. Keep it handy like I do for those 'is this comma right?' moments that plague every writer's workflow.