diff --git a/lib/sugar_utils/file.rb b/lib/sugar_utils/file.rb
index b313092..3a1f3ff 100644
--- a/lib/sugar_utils/file.rb
+++ b/lib/sugar_utils/file.rb
@@ -105,23 +105,26 @@ def self.read_json(filename, options = {})
     # @param [Hash] options
     # @option options [String, Integer] :owner
     # @option options [String, Integer] :group
-    # @option options [Integer] :mode
-    # @option options [Integer] :perm @deprecated
+    # @option options [Integer] :mode @deprecated
+    # @option options [Integer] :perm
     # @option options [Integer] :mtime
     #
     # @return [void]
     def self.touch(filename, options = {})
       owner         = options[:owner]
       group         = options[:group]
-      mode          = options[:mode] || options[:perm]
+      perm          = options[:perm]
       touch_options = options.select { |k| %i[mtime].include?(k) }
 
-      deprecate_option(:touch, :perm, :mode, 2017, 8) if options.key?(:perm)
+      if options[:mode].is_a?(Integer)
+        perm = options[:mode]
+        deprecate_option(:touch, :mode, :perm, 2018, 7)
+      end
 
       FileUtils.mkdir_p(::File.dirname(filename))
       FileUtils.touch(filename, touch_options)
       FileUtils.chown(owner, group, filename)
-      FileUtils.chmod(mode, filename) if mode
+      FileUtils.chmod(perm, filename) if perm
     end
 
     # @param [String] filename
@@ -131,8 +134,8 @@ def self.touch(filename, options = {})
     # @option options [Boolean] :flush (false)
     # @option options [String, Integer] :owner
     # @option options [String, Integer] :group
-    # @option options [Integer] :mode (0o644)
-    # @option options [Integer] :perm (0o644) @deprecated
+    # @option options [String] :mode (w+)
+    # @option options [Integer] :perm (0o644)
     #
     # @raise [SugarUtils::File::Error]
     #
@@ -141,15 +144,21 @@ def self.write(filename, data, options = {}) # rubocop:disable MethodLength, Abc
       flush = options[:flush] || false
       owner = options[:owner]
       group = options[:group]
-      mode  = options[:mode] || options[:perm] || 0o644
+      perm  = options[:perm] || 0o644
+      mode  = 'w+'
+
+      if options[:mode].is_a?(Integer)
+        perm = options[:mode]
 
-      deprecate_option(:touch, :perm, :mode, 2017, 8) if options.key?(:perm)
+        deprecate_option(:write, :mode, ' with an integer value; use perm instead', 2018, 7)
+      elsif !options[:mode].nil?
+        mode = options[:mode]
+      end
 
       FileUtils.mkdir_p(::File.dirname(filename))
-      ::File.open(filename, ::File::RDWR | ::File::CREAT, mode) do |file|
+      ::File.open(filename, mode, perm) do |file|
         flock_exclusive(file, options)
 
-        file.truncate(0) # Ensure file is empty before proceeding.
         file.puts(data.to_s)
 
         # Flush and fsync to be 100% sure we write this data out now because we
@@ -162,7 +171,7 @@ def self.write(filename, data, options = {}) # rubocop:disable MethodLength, Abc
         end
 
         # Ensure that the permissions are correct if the file already existed.
-        file.chmod(mode)
+        file.chmod(perm)
       end
       FileUtils.chown(owner, group, filename)
     rescue Timeout::Error
@@ -205,7 +214,14 @@ def self.deprecate_option(_method, option_name, option_repl, year, month) # rubo
 
       msg = [
         "NOTE: #{target}#{method} option :#{option_name} is deprecated",
-        option_repl == :none ? ' with no replacement' : "; use :#{option_repl} instead",
+        case option_repl
+        when :none
+          ' with no replacement' 
+        when String
+          option_repl
+        else
+          "; use :#{option_repl} instead"
+        end,
         format('. It will be removed on or after %4d-%02d-01.', year, month),
         "\n#{target}#{method} called from #{location_of_external_caller}"
       ]
diff --git a/spec/sugar_utils/file_spec.rb b/spec/sugar_utils/file_spec.rb
index 6b30f75..98c58d9 100644
--- a/spec/sugar_utils/file_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/sugar_utils/file_spec.rb
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@
         end
 
         context 'with deprecated options' do
-          let(:options) { { perm: 0o600 } }
+          let(:options) { { mode: 0o600 } }
           before { subject }
           specify { expect(filename).to have_content(data) }
           specify { expect(filename).to have_file_permission(0o100600) }
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@
 
         context 'without deprecated options' do
           let(:options) do
-            { flush: true, owner: 'nobody', group: 'nogroup', mode: 0o600 }
+            { flush: true, owner: 'nobody', group: 'nogroup', mode: 'w', perm: 0o600 }
           end
           before do
             expect_any_instance_of(File).to receive(:flush)
@@ -201,6 +201,16 @@
         before { write(filename, 'foobar', 0o777) }
         context 'not locked' do
           it_behaves_like 'file is written'
+
+          context 'with append mode' do
+            let(:options) { { mode: 'a+' } }
+            before do
+              expect(described_class).to receive(:flock_exclusive)
+                .with(kind_of(File), options)
+              subject
+            end
+            specify { expect(filename).to have_content("foobar#{data}") }
+          end
         end
       end
     end