Keys to Successful Writing helps students become better writers by presenting simple, consistently applicable tools and techniques. The book's organization flows from simple to more complex essays.

The text focuses on five “keys” to successful essay writing—purpose, focus, material, structure, and style. This distinctive heuristic, developed by the author and tested in her classrooms, helps students focus on the skills and ways of thinking that will make them stronger writers. Featuring a student-friendly, highly-accessible writing style, the text presents clear, specific strategies for writing combined with student and professional models that are engaging, provocative and contemporary. An editing handbook is also included for a complete writing resource. A series of interactive writing exercises and activities and longer writing assignments give the text a predictable organizational structure that's easy to learn and teach from.