There is a common misconception that Raphaelson wrote a book called “The Art of Writing” or simply “On Writing.” He did not. Roman Raphaelson (often stylized as Roman-Raphaelson, formerly a vice president at the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency) co-authored The Writing Sampler with Lawrence J. Cohen.
However, a word of advice from Raphaelson himself (paraphrased): “Respect the medium, or the medium will disrespect you.”
To the writer who finds that PDF (legally) and works through the 32 lessons: You will emerge leaner, clearer, and more powerful on the page. And you will realize why, decades after it was written, the world is still quietly searching for Roman Raphaelson’s lost masterpiece.
Happy writing. And remember: Shorter than you think, later than you think.