The Richard Hugo House is a center for creative writing that offers all kinds of writing classes. It is on 11th Ave, just across from Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill

http://hugohouse.org/

This is probably obvious, but I think the most effective activity people can engage in to improve their own composition skills is reading. When you read well-written work, your understanding of language, style and tone, technical details (such as grammatical rules), and vocabulary will build. This widened understanding will inevitably inform your own writing. I'm not sure whether you're looking for tools to improve the technical quality of your writing or its content (are you a budding author?), but reading quality work will likely help in both areas.

If you enjoy genre fiction and are interested in using it in this strategy, I'd suggest going with older novels- on the balance, they tend to be crafted more finely than much of what is being published now- I think this is probably a result of the increase in how many books are published and the general decrease in the public's mastery of Standard Written English. It is also the case that books which are still readily available many years after their creation tend to be those which are good enough to have appealed to readers generation after generation. In case you're not much of a reader, here are some authors I recommend: In fantasy, think Tolkien, Le Guin, or Richard Adams rather than Brooks, in mystery, choose Poe or Doyle rather than Koontz or Brown, in science fiction, pick Orwell rather than Crichton, for romance, look to Austen or Bronte rather than Steele. Of course, none of this is to say that there are not contemporary authors who create excellently crafted genre novels (Le Guin and P.D. James, for example).

I doubt this is a particular issue for you (judging from what I've seen of your writing abilities on Q'land), but the other extremely important foundation for composition skills is a strong understanding of English grammar, which is something many of us were not taught as children. Some of the other answers have suggested various sources for grammar instruction. Your writing will become more fluid and expressive as you increase your understanding of sentence structure and the ways it can be manipulated.

This may sound silly, but I also want to suggest using prompts or giving yourself specific limitations when you do practice your writing. Oftentimes giving yourself restrictions to work within will force you to be more creative and exploratory in your work than you otherwise would. This can develop new skills, expose specific weaknesses, and force on-the-spot learning. There's a lot more incentive to seek out new knowledge or skills when we present ourselves with a problem to be solved rather than rely on a vague desire to expand our knowledge.

I hope some of that was helpful- I tend to ramble a bit in my own writing, as I'm sure you can see.

Do you know any other writers? Sometime a little critique group can help with this meet up every few weeks at a coffe shop, swap whatever you're working on and go to town on each other. Of you don't know other writers you could post an add on craigslist and see if you get along. Also try teasing your stuff to yourself out loud instead of just reading what you've written in your head. It can help you figure out what's reading awkwardly. Also dissect other writers that you like. Figure out what it is that you're attracted to in their language. Sometimes trying to write in someone elses style can lead you places you wouldn't expect. There is the strunk and white book ( elements of style I think is what it's called) that you can pick up used at most bookstores. It's thin but has common grammar, punctuation, etc to help with the bones of it. This time of year there are probably a bunch of copies since the semester is over for most schools. If you're within the Seattle city limits you might try checking out http://www.826seattle.org/
It's a non profit started by Dave eggers of mc sweeneys fame and it's a nation wide writing torturing program. They usually have workshops and what not. The Seattle one is in phinney ridge area and also has a space exploration store connected to it that pays the bills to keep it running ( San frans is a pirate store, new Yorks is a superhero store). It's mainly geared twoward matching up writers with kids to help their writing but you could go and meet some of the volunteers and see what resources they would recommend. Also check out artist trust on Capitol hill they have tons of resources in their library and know of local work shops. If you get to the point where you're interested in publishing they recently added a writing track to their EDGE program that teaches business skills to artists and how to navigate the stuff they didn't teach in school or has changed ( with the digital age) they also host workshops for various disciplines as well as how to apply for their grants and programs that cost money to help you have the best possible application and het fellowships for their programs and other orgs programs. Good luck

Do you mean the physical act of creating legible handwriting or are you referring to the compositional skills (grammar, syntax, etc.) of writing?

What Makes Mommy Run?

Keeping it In

Life's Little Messes
*subtitle* being a Mom with ulcerative colitis

The Shits
(and other hassles)

keep holding out until the iPad becomes an all in one phone/tv remote/iBook reader/personal italian confidential secretary.

my winnerest is -- "Full Load" (or variations- "Fully Loaded")

Did SNL trademark "Oops I Crapped My Pants!" ?

My Inconvenient Truth
Crappy Pants

I apologize in advance for these...
A Heavy Load to Bear
The Accidental Turdist

Curses, soiled again!

The Audacity of Poop

What to expect when you weren't expecting.

A pain in the ass

Running out of time

Changing diapers when you need diapers

This too will pass?
Actually, in today's marketplace "A Book about Crapping My Pants" just might be a hit.

Bauhaus coffee is comfy in my book, hard chairs and all. I'd say the B&O, but...
I haven't been for a bit, but how about Victrola?

If you can get off the hill, the Cherry Street Coffee places are perfect for 'comfy' - they even have PILLOWS.

There was a review of the new Nook in the Seattle Times yesterday or today (11/25/11 or 11/2611). Both the review, and the reader comments (quite passionate Nook users), may help you discern more about the benefits and differences between the new Kindle and Nook devices.

Some of the libraries in the city are pretty posh, but you wouldn't be able to drink things if you want a comerce free place that's kinda silent it's worth checking out a few of em

I just love Jo Bar on Capitol Hill across from the Harvard Exit movie theatre. It's one of my favorite places to hang out and read on a rainy afternoon. There aren't any couches but the chairs in the upstairs balconies have cushions and you can put your legs up on the banister.

I don't want to endorse, but I would go ahead and at least make it a three-way race, including Kindle, Nook and the Sony Reader, which has a good new slim wifi model. I'd advise that while the B&N is still located in University Village, to go on down and look over the Nook, and then go just down the way to the Sony store and look at their readers - it is nice to get a feel for them. If you can bring a friend's Kindle along, so much the better.

Although it may seem counterintuitive from your computer/tablet/phone reading experience, I'd advise you really don't want to be using a backlit screen, but the latest and best eInk screens. Yes - you do need a light for this - my own pocket-sized Sony reader is accessorized with a protective cover (which I need anyway) that has a built in light in the spine, and it works fine - otherwise you pretty much read it like you'd read a paper book, in appropriate lighting.

eBook access through libraries is changing and evolving, so anything we say here about the relative merits of devices re: library content is liable to expire before your device does. That said, I'd be remiss if I failed to point out that many public librarians have their issues with how things have started off w/ the Kindle.

Yes! Kindle users can now use The Seattle Public Library's Overdrive collection!

Here is a How To Guide

Here is the News Release

Go forth and download! Woot-woot!

Try Powell's Bookstore. They ship too. I found a copy here: http://www.powells.com/biblio/17-9781936365463-0

I'll second the suggestion that, especially if you work downtown, you check out the Poetry Appreciation Group that meets Tuesdays at noon at the Seattle Public Library. Here's a link to basic information about it: http://goo.gl/Ve0Fy.

And if you want to talk to the group organizer, you can email Ask a Librarian and the query will be forwarded to her.

Hope you find a group that works well for you.

First of all, to comment on the previous answer by MyrnaMinkoff, regarding contacting the libraries, there's nothing wrong with talking to them, but they will tell you to contact a local bookbinder. They should know bookbinders and paper conservators if they have the more valuable books in their collections. Librarians are not bookbinders and based on my experience, what they "patch up" isn't restoration, and the end result is horrible. I'd not recommend you to let them "fix" your book for you.

Regarding the condition of the paper mentioned also by MyrnaMinkoff, she's correct: however, based on what you described in the questionnaire, I don't think the kind of book you have has paper that contains serious acid problem, and can simply be rebound.

I wouldn't recommend you to do a spiral binding. Do Not do it. Beside, your book has an extremely small margin on the left (spine side) that the holes might punch through some of the text.

If I can see some pictures of your book, I can be more precise, but If I understand your description of your book correctly, all it needs is re-gluing on the spine, and if the cover is still in a good condition that can be reused, I think it'd cost somewhere between $10~$25 to rebind. Not that expensive. I'd recommend you to Google local bookbinders, and contact them.

One thing that will be critical in determining whether the book can be rebound is the quality of the paper it's printed on. If it's a thicker, paper that is still bright white, you'll be fine. Older books, especially cheap mass-produced paperbacks are less likely to hold up, because they were never meant for longevity. If the paper is yellowing, or if you fold over a small corner and the page breaks, the book cannot be rebound. (And don't do sprial bound if you can avoid it -- super ugly, and not designed to hold up over time.)

Contact the University of Washington Libraries about re-binding. Big university libraries usually bind their journals, either a year or a quarter at a time, so they do a high volume of binding books. They will also periodically do the same thing for paperbacks or other hardbound books that are falling apart.

I don't know whether they do their binding in house or send the books out, but it can't hurt to ask. You can also ask Seattle Public Libraries or King County Libraries, but I bet they use the service less -- it's probably cheaper to replace the high-circulation/low-cost paperbacks that are likely to fall apart, and journals they can just keep in magazine files.

I'm no expert, but have you ever tried AbeBooks.com? They seem to be an awesome site, but I'm not sure.