I think your response comes across as unnecessarily presumptuous and sarcastic. I did read Zinsser (that was a uncharitable blow -- names are misspelled all the time). However just because I have read him does not mean I have assimilated his style or prescriptions, and even if I have, I wouldn't necessarily apply them uniformly in all of my writing.
I will admit I am expressing a subjective preference, not an objective indictment of Zinsser (I did get some value out of the first few chapters). Perhaps this dissenting opinion didn't need to be expressed because in retrospect no value was added because I didn't provide specifics myself (though I could -- I'm happy to make the case). And it's possible that I'm being unfair to the work. So in light of that, I withdraw my statement. But I still don't appreciate your sarcasm.
Hi, sorry, I wasn't being sarcastic at all. I meant every word sincerely and literally, including the questions. At first I thought I had no answer for "what do folks get out of Zinnser's book specifically?", but while writing my comment I discovered that I did! Sure, it wasn't very friendly, sorry for that. I was trying to help your prose. It seemed you mostly didn't like On Writing Well for its being a book, when you got much more from courses and their feedback.
I'm not sure what you mean, except you didn't enjoy his style? Gee, he seems the opposite of dry to meβa very warm, friendly, human voice. If you think he's pretty dry, who in the field do you prefer?
I don't think you can have read Zinsser. You misspell his name, and it's hard to believe your sentences are those of someone who's heard his message:
"Not to be an HN contrarian, but" β this adds nothing. The reader of On Writing Well learns to cut every unnecessary word.
"it's actually a pretty dry read and does not itself, in my opinion, reflect good writing" says unclearly in 16 words what could be said clearly in a few. Cut "actually", "in my opinion" and "itself". Does not reflect good writing β do you mean "it's not good writing"? i.e. "it's bad writing"? I'm not sure what saying a book "doesn't reflect good writing" means, but seemingly something other than its not being written well, or you would have said so, the reader assumes.
"unfortunately I wouldn't say Zinnser's book is a piece of writing I would admire." Again, the head spins, although what you're trying to say seems simple. If it's "I don't admire it", why not say so? If something else, say that. Simplicity! Etc.
I encourage you to give him another go!