How do you write? Heavy, medium, or light?

SageFury · Jan 29, 2008

Everyone has their own style of writing and we all know the more up to date on English you are and how much literature you read can influence the words used in your writing.

When writing your novel, how much of your knowledge would you say you pour in word wise?

A. Heavy = Using many sophisticated words, references to other works, creations of your own, and words that can make high school students use the dictionary a lot.

B. Heavy/Medium

C. Medium = Using some sophisticated words, light referencing, couple if any words of your own, and more of the basics to give high schoolers less headaches during those suffocating term weeks.

D. Medium/Light

E. Light = Use words that basically understood by any age and use big words in educational moments.

Explain your answer =)
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My Answer: D

I'm between medium and light myself, I like the idea of anyone being able to read my books and understand them. Then again I also like to use sophistication and elegance so my educated readers don't feel that my novels are for little kids.

I mix between to get a little of everything but then again I also make sure to not swear unless it just comes to that point. Swearing is used to much so I avoid at all costs if I can.

I also like my characters remaining humble yet sounding as if they have a brain and use it as well =)

Viral · Jan 29, 2008

I think I'm in the median between medium and light. I generally write in a very light way - and I mince my words often to give the strongest effect. Because of this, I've been told my prose has a very fast-paced feeling to it, easy to swallow in large amounts, which is decent (and basically what I'm going for). I've always had a pet peeve involving narratives with a lot of exposition or a thesaurus syndrome. I don't want to look up a word simply because the author couldn't say something in simpler terms and wanted to flaunt their intelligence. While this isn't the case for some writers, it is for many of the ones I've read. It takes talent to take a difficult concept and make it simple, not take a difficult concept and make it difficult.

Polenth · Jan 29, 2008

Medium/light to light for children's fiction, depending on age.

I'd rarely go above medium for an adult. I blame my science background, because I was trained to make what I write as understandable as possible. That isn't to say I avoid obscure words completely. If it's the right word I'll use it. I just don't sit there with my thesaurus trying to make it difficult to understand.

~grace~ · Jan 29, 2008

you ask some interesting questions, SageFury.

I'm going to go with C) Medium, leaning towards Heavyish if we take grammar into consideration. I tend to mix choppy sentences and convoluted sentences and misplace words (on purpose).

at least that's what I think. someone who reads my work might think different.

JoNightshade · Jan 29, 2008

For me, it really depends on the story itself and what it requires. For me, it's about character and setting. Most of my contemporary real-world fiction is written in a very basic, straightforward style. I like to think that my words are simple, but my subject matter is deep.

(I'm totally kidding myself.) So anyone could read it and understand the story, but I do add in layers for more in-depth readers.

If it's set in the past or future or a fantasy world... well, then the rules change. For my medieval fantasy world, I write in a more formal style and I use a larger vocabulary to create the feeling of age and history. In science fiction I may push the vocabulary and twist it a bit to create the feeling that our language has evolved and changed a bit, as it does over time.

blacbird · Jan 29, 2008

Light.

Crappy, but light.

caw

Paichka · Jan 30, 2008

Lessee.

My tendency is to write medium/heavy, because I have a serious love affair going on with words like "palimpsest", "moribund", and "epigone". I have a file on my computer that I keep open while I read specifically to write down words the author uses that blow me away.

Of course, when I give my work to my betas, they always say, "Now remember the granny in the back", or something similar, so I usually end up taking all my fancy-pants two dollar words out altogether. Usually.

Zoombie · Jan 30, 2008

I'm a medium light person. I'll have lots of light foofy stuff and then "It's a long range quantum entanglement communication node, not a five cent pay phone!"

S.H.P. · Jan 30, 2008

Light. But that doesn't mean it's simplistic in any way. The words aren't hulking off the page, but I do fiddle with sentence structure and other things. I like to challenge the reader without the need for them to look for a dictionary or ask someone for help. I think it breaks the spell you place the reader under if they have to do the aforementioned.

Enzo · Jan 30, 2008

D. Medium to light.
I don't want to use difficult words for the sake of using them, and what I'm writing is not high-brow literature or Booker Prize material, but thrillers, so there.
If I slip in a couple of difficult words by accident, they might drop out again when I'm doing the second draft.

KTC · Jan 30, 2008

I honestly don't take this into consideration. I don't think I could judge it myself anyway. I use my vocabulary. I use the word that fits.

Again, I enjoy the topics you raise here...

Pike · Jan 30, 2008

When I get to write - I average medium.

Pike

BlueTexas · Jan 30, 2008

Probably medium. If I have to yank out a thesaurus, I think I'm doing something wrong, and recast the sentence. That said, I don't leave out the two dollar words if they're the right ones.

But I read Strunk & White once a year, and the use of a big word where a small one would be more appropriate makes me nuts. (Ever notice no one on an educational show ever says 'use' anymore? Has to be 'utilise' arrgh!)

Charlie Horse · Jan 30, 2008

He ain't heavy, baby, he's my brother.

Death Wizard · Jan 30, 2008

I consider it heavy/medium. But most readers would probably say just medium.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 30, 2008

I'm a simple man with simple words.

Erin · Jan 30, 2008

I write medium-light. I like reading medium to heavy stuff, but I can't write it!

Finni · Jan 30, 2008

I average a C.

The words I use depends on the story and my intentions. It also depends on theme and my characters. At the moment, the story I am working on has a deep and intergrated theme, but having a heavy vocabulary would be very out of place for the setting and characters. If this story was set in 1 AD as opposed to 8000 BCE it was be a B and not a D because of the theme.
There are many factors to consider. I make my decision based on how it works for my story overall. If my language seems out of place I change it. If I make the right decision my story will flow nicely and my reader will not be taken out of the story.

Nakhlasmoke · Jan 30, 2008

I'd say medium, although it also depends on the POV. I write a fair whack of first person, so the narrative depends on *their* education and background, not mine.

reenkam · Jan 30, 2008

Medium to light for me, depending on the work. I take things like the character, the genre, the style of the piece, etc. all into account when choosing how I want to write something.

NeuroFizz · Jan 30, 2008

KTC said:
I honestly don't take this into consideration. I don't think I could judge it myself anyway. I use my vocabulary. I use the word that fits.

I agree totally. Words make up a limitless universe for a writer. Any conscious effort to pull it within finite limits decreases the potential of it all.

a_sharp · Jan 30, 2008

In consideration of your recent contribution to AbsoluteWrite novel forum, I respectfully submit that my preference for elocution in the production of fictive prose is disposed toward what you have simplistically qualified as "heavy." So saying, ...

Naw, I'm on the other end. Light.

ink wench · Jan 30, 2008

Interesting question. I'd say it totally depends on what I'm writing. Most of the time I'd guess I'm around medium, but my WIP is first person with an uneducated MC so not this time.

Esopha · Jan 30, 2008

I write fat-free. Whatever is necessary for the story and no more.

Chase · Jan 30, 2008

Levels of diction

Sage, thought you might enjoy this put together by a creative writing class working on dialogue at Idaho State in the early '80s. Only the slang portion has been updated.

1. Euphonic. Professional-to-professional language. Poetic, educated, flowery.
Edward tends toward ambiguity when conversing among peers, with probable motive to confound rather than elucidate.

2. Standard. A language understood by most people of a nation. The speech of national newscasters is an example.
Edward is purposefully vague when speaking to friends to keep them confused.

3. Colloquial. A language particular to a nation. Most colloquialisms cannot be literally translated. For example, "She split her sides laughing" really means "She laughed heartily." Every language has an adverb meaning "suddenly," but in English the colloquial "all of a sudden" means the same thing.
Eddie is so full of it that his buddies get all mixed up.

4. Slang. Often the language of a region, ethnic culture, or special group, slang is ever-changing, slipping from gibberish to colloquial.
ed’s uber random, u no, n were all like wtf????????

5. Nonstandard (Formerly "substandard"). An uneducated language, often obtuse.
Me and Ed dont talk no more, aint no easy way, him.

6. Vulgar. Expletives abound:
Fucker talks shit.

7. Gibberish. As with some slang, gobbledegook is meaningless without a program.
Whoa! Dude! Like, what?

Additions, deletions, or changes welcome.

How do you write? Heavy, medium, or light?

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