jwwceo

Sometimes there is an awesome word, like snarky, or pachyderm, or guffaw; that embodies 100% what you are trying to say, but most readers don't know what these words mean. There is usually a substitute that kinda works, but just doesn't quite have the same ring.

Do you ever purposely dumb down your writing so that the hoi polloi can enjoy your writing too. My instinct is to say no. You write how you want to write and if the men and women with equal minds can understand and appreciate it, then that is enough.

But I've just started writing again...and am not published or anything...

I'd love your opinions on this...

JW

Mr. Blix

I have to dumb up my writing, because I'm not a great writer. I think I have good ideas, but its getting them out that's the hard part.

Anyway, that being said I think it depends on what your writing. If you're writing about hillbillies and they are saying things that an Oxford educated individual would say, then it wouldn't make sense.

Foxee

What a great question. I think there are a couple of factors that to consider, at least thinking about this off the top of my head.

One factor is the audience I'm writing for. If I'm freelancing for a medical journal (ha ha, ok so I've never done this but if I DID) my language will be different than if I'm writing, say, for Redneck Monthly (ok don't get mad at me, Rednecks, I'm just illustrating a point). Or, for instance, writing for different age groups. It wouldn't be advisable to use the same vocabulary for a children's book and for a novel aimed at adults.

After all, writing is communication and the audience needs to understand you for it to be effective.

Another factor,is in dialogue and POV. A story from a six-year-old's POV, for instance, will probably not include a word like "diversification", "subsidiaries", and "statistical" unless he's a child prodigy.

I'm not sure I'd consider it "dumbing down" so much as "using appropriate vocabulary".

Just my two cents.
Fox

aspiring

No. I never dumb down my writing.

However, since I write for children, I am aware of the vocabulary restraints and will sometimes simplify a phrase in order that the reader will understand it. If there is a word that fits better than any other (and it is a complicated one) I will occasionally use techniques to make it clearer to the reader (eg another character says 'a what?' and then the first one explains it - thereby broadening the reader's vocab but not in a patronising way).

Different genres also have different requirements. Chicklit, for example, is meant to be a quick read, and if you use highly technical vocabulary, your readers will be annoyed.

So basically I agree with Foxee

Mr. Blix

Yeah, I forgot to add the old credo, "Write for your audience."

Fantasy of You

You probably shouldn't do anything when this type of situation comes along. Almost 100% of the time, the first word you think of, is the word most suitable for what you are trying to say.

A word, no matter how perfect, will never say exactly what you want. So why settle for a word that sort of means what the word you want means? It doesn't make sense.

And great vocabulary doesn't make a good writer. It's not the size, it's how you use it

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suzakugaiden

"Do you ever purposely dumb down your writing so that the hoi polloi can enjoy your writing too."

Nobody likes my writing anyway, so not really. I'm not sure if I just suck at writing or if I'm just intentionally try to piss people off. Though, my ultimate goal IS to write an erotic story so depressing that it makes people wake up in the morning, wonder what the point is, and immediately go back to bed ;P

Anyway let us be serious.

Being precise. This is desirable.

A lot of people make the mistake of using big words to sound smart, but this isn't really precision. Just thought I should note this.

Using big, or obscure words, because they fit what you're trying to say is GOOD. You SHOULD do this. Otherwise you'll get all sorts of awkward, weasily sentences with too many superlatives to read right.

Banzai

As usual, Fantasy seems to be right. I would agree with everyone else in that you should write for your audience, but for me when I write, I make sure I'm in the mindset to automatically write for my audience. So, having done that, the first word that comes to mind is almost always adequate, so I dont often have to 'dumb-down' my writing. That said, in the early hours of the morning my focus has been known to slip, so it does happen

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jwwceo

I've always been a believer that the best writing comes when writing for oneself. That is, a piece that you yourself find to be good. Why substitute someone else's opinion for your own??? Obvioulsy, childrens books, or writing for a segmented periodical, or chick lit are different, but those aren't really high level literature. Those authors are usually more interested in selling their works than truly making something great or profound. Of course, I agree that using a big word just to sound smart is lame....

Ilan Bouchard

I don't dumb down my writing, but sometimes a simpler or more mainstream word is more appropriate.

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Mike C

I never assume that readers are stupid, so I never dumb down. The right word is the right word, and seldom will an alternative do.

I don't write for a market, I write what I want. If your writing's good enough, the market will be there; if you dumb down, it won't.

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suzakugaiden

I have the feeling that "big word syndrome" is sort of an English peculiarity. I don't imagine greek children have much trouble say xenodokhio, or that russian children have issues withe zdravstvuyte, or the german kids have problems with Sicherheitsgurt. Yet words of comparable length WOULD be considered long in English. And I'd like to think that the more obscure words are from French or Latin sources, but I've had people freak out at me for using relatively non-obscure, VERY Englishy words of, like, three syllables.

I'm just going to assume that the American education system is just broken. Kids need to read more. And I don't mean like Junie B. Jones are whatever that crap is. I mean like Joyce. Joyce doesn't make any sense as it is, so it doesn't matter if fifth graders don't understand it. Nobody does! Granted, forcing children to read Joyce might be considered child abuse, but anymore, forcing kids to eat vegetables is too, so whatever.

Kimba

Define "dumb down". I only ever dumb down my writing if I were writing for children or teenagers.

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cbrmale

I don't believe in dumbing down, whatever that means. I have an amazing memory recall, consequently I could use really obscure words that very few would recognise let alone understand, but that would be pointless. So you have to be realistic, but you have to be yourself too.

bob rulz

Why teenagers? Any teenager who gives a rats ass about reading will probably have just as large a vocabulary as an adult who cares about reading.