Comparing Strunk and White with Williams

The major difference between Strunk and White and Williams is the emphasis on what is more important. Strunk and White concentrate more on Grammar rules while Williams is mainly concerned with Style.

Strunk and White are much more authoratative in their presentation of rules. They provide you with the rules and occasionally an example and leave it at that. "These are the rules; there is no debating them."

Williams provides much more explanation and many more examples of why certain rules or techniques are important. The rules and examples which Williams provide seem to be for a slightly more advanced crowd. He assumes that the reader is already familiar with basic grammar conventions and concentrates more on how to revise a reasonably well-written piece into an exceptionally clear and concise one.

Overall I'm more impressed and feel that I could get more out of Williams at this stage of my study of writing. Strunk and White provide a useful reference for when a writer is unsure of an exact grammar rule, while Williams provides new and useful lessons for those trying to further improve their writing and revision skills.