Book Review - Spunk & Bite

How confident are you in your writing abilities? Do you simply convey messages clearly or does your personality leap off of the written page?

Spunk & Bite: A Writer's Guide to Punchier, More Engaging Language & Style
Arthur Plotnik
PN 147 .P55 2005

Once you've mastered the basics of putting together a coherent sentence, Plotnik argues that you need to "kick it up a notch." This author clearly has fun with words and enjoys writing. This book makes the point that using language in fun, inventive, and active ways makes writing come alive and does a better job of conveying the message of the writer. Plotnik suggests using language that has "freshness," "color," and "texture." He also advises readers to pay attention to the "music" of their writing, to select words that are modern, and to write with "force." Though he plays with words, Plotnik is grounded in the concepts of clear writing and proper grammatical structure. Guidelines on punctuation, sentence fragments, and beginning, ending, and transition words are liberally sprinkled throughout his text. This book is an engaging guide for everyone hoping to improve their written communication skills.