Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch by Constance Hale
Writers know it instinctively: Verbs make a sentence zing. Grammar gurus agree: Drama in writing emerges from the interplay of a subject (noun) and a predicate (verb). Constance Hale, the best-selling author of Sin and Syntax, zooms in on the colorful world of verbs. Synthesizing the pedagogical and the popular, the scholarly and the scandalous, Hale combines the wit of Bill Bryson with the practical wisdom of William Zinsser. She marches through linguistic history to paint a layered picture of our language from before it really existed to the quirky usages we see online today. She warns about habits to avoid and inspires with samples of brilliant writing. A veteran teacher, Hale gives writing prompts along the way, helping readers try, do, write, play. Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch guides us to more powerful writing by demonstrating how to use great verbs with style.
"Hale has figured out how to write about verbs so that she knocks people out in a ‘that’s-so-cool’ way, rather than a ‘dose-of-Ambien’ way…Every reader will learn something" -- Lauren O’Neal - The Rumpus
"Hale’s comprehensive guide gives teachers, editors, writers and language lovers a rich array of instruction, advice and awe-inspiring writing." -- Elfrieda Abbe - Journal Sentinel
"I put this book down feeling I’ve been to a great party where I’ve ‘met’ a lot of interesting people." -- Ruth Walker - Christian Science Monitor
"As with Hale’s previous book, you don’t need a PhD in linguistics to read Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch. Hale uses plain English in an entertaining way to keep the pages turning…This book deserves a spot on your physical or digital bookshelf." -- Erin Brenner - Copyediting.com
"Her handy tips will help your verbs crackle, spit and thunder." -- Rob Kyff - Hartford Courant
"Hale’s book often brings color to a subject tinted gray." -- Wallace Baine - Santa Cruz Sentinel
"Hale’s comprehensive guide gives teachers, editors, writers and language lovers a rich array of instruction, advice and awe-inspiring writing." -- Elfrieda Abbe - Journal Sentinel
"I put this book down feeling I’ve been to a great party where I’ve ‘met’ a lot of interesting people." -- Ruth Walker - Christian Science Monitor
"As with Hale’s previous book, you don’t need a PhD in linguistics to read Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch. Hale uses plain English in an entertaining way to keep the pages turning…This book deserves a spot on your physical or digital bookshelf." -- Erin Brenner - Copyediting.com
"Her handy tips will help your verbs crackle, spit and thunder." -- Rob Kyff - Hartford Courant
"Hale’s book often brings color to a subject tinted gray." -- Wallace Baine - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Constance Hale is the author of Wired Style and Sin and Syntax. She has taught at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University and UC Berkeley Extension. She is based in San Francisco, California.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780393347050 |
| ISBN 10 | 0393347052 |
| Title | Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch |
| Author | Constance Hale |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | WW Norton & Co |
| Year published | 2013-11-15 |
| Number of pages | 400 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |