You have to remember that Poe was born exactly 200 years ago today (freaky coincidence!). The way the English language is used, and the audience, has changed dramatically since then. Only highly educated people could read or write back then.
Just to add on to what others just said. Poe was known for having a huge vocabulary, and for using obscure words. What worked back then won't work today because readers seem to prefer straight forward, non-complex prose. And you can use rich, meaty vocabulary in a way that isn't so flourished that it turns off the average reader. One writer who does this really well is Libba Bray. And I do like your phrase "hypnotic promenades" a lot. Wonderful, poetic description. A whole page of descriptions like this, however, ends up feeling like overkill.
Hey guys, Thanks for the comments... I guess it's true that using fancy words is more of a risk than a benefit. It is something that I enjoy reading, but I really want to write stuff that I think other people will enjoy. I really want to get stuff published. I don't mind changing my style up. I'm pretty new to writing, so it should not be that hard. I was just wondering why people seem to have such a problem with it, and I think I understand a bit better now. Thanks for your input.
honestly man, I've read plenty of stories that required a dictionary close at hand and they are never enjoyable. My pseudo-intelligence can only go so far. that being said I know what promenades are so I actually like that line but alas, if you write above the average level of your target audience you'll fail... imagine using "notorious" and "hypocrisy" in a leapfrog book... easy and common in our adult books but lost upon a child. same with using scholarly words in adult books... you can be studying to be a doctor and decide to throw a bunch of medical mumbo-jumbo in your story and all your going to do is lose the reader. besides, there is plenty of words to use instead of promenades~ hence why it's fallen into disuse. It's called lingo, and if you have a scholarly grasp on the english language and you try to show it off with your lingo you'll lose and even put off the reader. it shouldn't be that hard to understand "completely"
Hypnotic promenades is not an overly difficult phrase to understand. The problem I have is what is fascinating about a style of square dancing, and what does it have to do with the quality of light and shadows? I know this can be translated to 'dancing' shadows. Why not just 'flickering' or something akin to it and move on with your story. Also, saying 'shadows dancing on the walls in hypnotic promenades' is redundant. Shadows danced across the wall by the light of the flickering fire.. Not as poetic, maybe, but certainly concise. Gets the point across. And I don't get this image in my mind of someone watching a square dance in a trance. I rarely see a word I don't at least understand in the context it is used, but if I can't ken the relationship between the metaphor and its reference... buh-bye.
There are successful, modern writers who use extravagant adjectives who are successful. Cormac McCarthy comes to mind. Hell, if McCarthy can't think of an extravagant enough one he just makes one up. When I read The Road I kept a dictionary by me, but to my dismay many of the words weren't even in the dictionary. I would even google some of them to see if they were in any dictionary, but nope. I love McCarthy's writing, but to be honest, I would love it more if he toned down some of the descriptors a bit. But it is your style and only you can decide what risks you want to take. Sometimes the risks pay off.
Just remember that reviews are opinions. I've gotten completely contradictory reviews on pieces I have posted, to the point of having reviewers start to argue with each other, mods get involved, wrists get slapped for bad form... Reviews are opinions. One person may not care for an author who paints with a polysyllabic brush. Another person may think it manna from heaven.
I would say that if every word is drawn from a thesaurus your writing will get very heavy, very quickly, and no one will want to read it, even if they understand every word on the page. Honestly, I groan internally at certain word choices, and probably would have for "hypnotic promenades", even though I know what you mean. If nothing even close to that was present in a story, I don't think that I would miss it too much. That said, cleverly positioned wording can be a real treat, as can clever word choice. Try to find the word that best fits what you're trying to say and use that one, rather than trying to find the word that's the most showy. Of course, if the word that fits and the word that's showy are the same, by all means use it man! Let's go back to the old adage: "Write like you speak." You may use million dollar words in everyday speech (I certainly do, and get the appropriate flak for it), but I would wager that you wouldn't say "hypnotic promenades" unless you were trying to recite or compose a poem. Meh, my two cents.
Prose has a couple different meanings. Thhe most common in current usage is writing structured in sentences and paragraphs - "not poetry". A more accurate dictionary definition is written like common speech, with a connotation of blan dness. However, the term purple prose refers to writing that is overly flowery or ostentatious, writing that comes across as trying too hard to be "literary." Adjectives and adverbs in excess really do tend to come across as pedantic or snooty. Careful verb choices are a bit less likely to give that air to a piece. Overdescriuption in general, whether you use ten-dollar words or not, will make the writing stiff. Another consideration is POV. If your POV is one of your characters, or a social peer, you should keep your vocabulary consistent with that POV. Sure, we all have probably known the high school dropout construction worker whose vocabulary puts a word-of-the-day calendar to shame - his friends refer to him as "Professor" - but most blue-collar protagonists will speak and narrate with very straightforward words. You need not mirror them to thej point of swearing like a sailor with hemorrhoids and including all the umms and ahs, but keep the overall vocabulary in te same ballpark. But if your POV character is a poet at heart, you may be adding color to the character by using some over the top descriptions. Just don't overdo it. An occasional description of that type is far more effective than trying to write te entire story that way. Use it to show a surge of passion, and let it underscore his inspiration of the moment. Don't make it tedious.
Personally I would say that that type of description should be limited. I'd hate to get bogged down reading something where every few lines I hit something that sticks out like a sore thumb. If i have to mentally translate every line or so down to the level of "oh, 'hypnotic promenades'... hmmmm i guess he means flickering fire light?" that's going to seriously spoil first my immersion then my enjoyment of piece. That said an occasional, well placed and well chosen phrase can serve to deliberately break the readers flow - say you want to hit them with something particularly emotive, visual etc... then once in a while breaking their natural reading rhythm might be effective. But more generally, no. If I started reading something that was full of phrases like that I'd give up in short order.
The question is not whether the phrase is pretty, or even "purple". It's whether it adds to the story. For a phrase like "hypnotic promenades"(for example), standing alone as a useful description is iffy. It might work if it was part of an extended metaphor or image. As a standalone phrase, I don't see why it would be better than a simpler wording.
Read R. Scott Bakker. Therapy. It'll make you feel a lot better. Longwindedness, or whatever you call it, can hypnotize if you know what you're doing. Meh. Revised below.
I'm gonna have to disagree. I think the "crap" as you've put it is very good advice. We can write as creatively as we want sure but what's the point if no one has any clue what we're saying? There are times were big words or colorful prose may be useful or even very called for but you need to be careful. If you get too big and flowery your reader will be lost and all that creativity becomes a novel poem or short stories worth of wasted time. Now, that's if your aiming to have people get the point. If you don't care well go all out and do whatever. I write like I please because at the time I don't care about being published. If I did I'd probably put more effort into the writing than simply getting the ideas down.
there's a good reason why s&w is every serious writer's 'bible' and has been, ever since it was 'born'... part of that reason was well-excerpted above... to say it's 'crap' only shows a lack of seriousness about being a writer, as well as total ignorance of what good writing really is and how to go about creating any... that 'crap' comment proved once again, the wisdom of the classic quote:
I'm sorry, I wasn't referring to that post specifically, but maxims like "affect an active voice" and "show, don't tell" which are often promoted by authors like S&W don't necessarily hold true. There are some very popular, very intelligent books that have plenty of telling and passive voice in them. I critiqued an unpublished manuscript written by someone who firmly warns against worshipping S&W. It was extremely good, better than probably 90% of published fiction I've read, and I read a lot. Fancy words can certainly be used in proper context; that's not to say I advocate sprinkling them in whenever it tickles your fancy. I agree with sorites' specific points, as long as he's not suggesting that we abide by all of S&W's laws as though they are out of the Bible. No writer should be bound to a set of rules set in stone by someone else. Advice, yes. But not rules. Look here. I just stumbled across this on a Google search. Some elaboration on my point of view. Vaguely related ... http://sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21414 http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13704 http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20515
Knowing basic "rules" enables a writer to make powerful exceptions...those well thought out deviations that create a desired impact. Writers lacking such knowledge, more often stumble along with shallow prose, lacking the benefit provided by sound foundation. Therein lies the value of knowing all the so-called "rules". Music is the same...I have a friend who is a concert level classical violinist. When "nobody is looking", she lets her hair down and sits in with local foot-stomping bluegrass bands. Her mastery of the violin creates thrilling renditions of such great "fiddlin" solos as in Charlie Daniels' "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". I get chills when she plays. In writing, just as in music, if you thoroughly KNOW the "rules", you become empowered to BREAK the "rules" to great effect.
As far as word selection a few notions that I follow as I write: Consider your audience. Use the correct word(s) where needed. Write such that the reader can use context to determine a word's meaning where possible. Avoid using fancy words in an attempt to prove something or sound more intelligent. Terry
Hello Everyone! Ive just become a member of this website so in the hope of gaining some good knowledge from the established community here. The general topic I was thinking of discussing is whether modelling yourself around a particular writer's style is a wise decision to make or not, and your opinions. I personally very much enjoy the styles of writers such as Nicholas Sparks, Richard Matheson and the complete antithesis such as Emily Bronte and Cormac McCarthy. Though do you think trying to write like these authors is a wise idea? I am concious if I try to emulate a style I may lose the actual translation of the story and it will not be a natural method for me. What do you think?
I wasn't actually talking about immitation, as in copying Sparks, I meant emulation as in emulating his style of writing or description into my novel(s)
If your writing style resembles another author's style, it's acceptable as long as you're not making a conscious effort to try to emulate them. Don't purposely try to copy them because it will end up screwing you over in the end. Come up with a style you're comfortable with and stick to that.
It's fine to model your writing after the style of another to start out your writing. It can help you to get a feel on writing before you set out to find your own style. Just know the best style is your own.
