Simple Writing or Literary Heavy??

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Katie

@love_iqbal_khan

Rocker

+ 6

Posted: 10 years ago

That is the question!!

I'm not too picky about the books I read...classic English (ie. Jane Austen) to simple writing (ie. FanFictions)...I'll read it all if the prologue/title/blurb interests me.

I'm just trying to get a feel of what people prefer (purely out of curiosity). I feel like sometimes, Simple writing does the trick because it makes it easier to connect to the story (if its in first person, it almost feelings like a friend talking to me) while some stories leave a mark because of all the Literary Metaphors and Similes and Foreshadowing...

So what do you prefer? Simple sentence structure and writing or Verbose and literary heavy writing?

Cheers,
Katie

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msmarple

@msmarple

Voyager

Posted: 10 years ago

I too would also read anything if the prologue / intro/ title interests me.

Whether it is simple sentence structure or verbose and literary writing if the story flows well it becomes interesting.

However in the case of fan fictions i feel that more often than not in trying to make complex sentences and using big words writers tend to take away from the charm of the story.

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Katie

@love_iqbal_khan

Rocker

+ 6

Posted: 10 years ago

Originally posted by: msmarple
I too would also read anything if the prologue / intro/ title interests me.
Whether it is simple sentence structure or verbose and literary writing if the story flows well it becomes interesting.

However in the case of fan fictions i feel that more often than not in trying to make complex sentences and using big words writers tend to take away from the charm of the story.

I agree. that's what got me thinking. For some reason...big words and complex sentences in FanFiciton makes it lose the charm most of the times...no idea why. I've read complex sentence structured books because I love classics...somehow, the same thing that makes these books so charming dims the charms of fanfictions...

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zephyr29

@zephyr29

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 10 years ago

Interesting topic. For me I love both equally and it mostly depends on my mood whether I'd want a nice breezy read or would want to get lost in the descriptive words and sentences as seen mostly in classics.

Yeah, I've noticed that in Fan fictions too but I just put it down to the authors wanting to explore different writing styles 😊. But this is something I've seen even in certain classics where too many words and complex sentence structures takes away from the essence of the story 🤔. One example I can think of is Turn of the Screw by Henry James. It's among the first paranormal psychological thrillers ever written and considered a classic but yet I really couldn't find it engaging mainly because of the highly complicated and ambiguous writing style with a sentence going on and on to form a paragraph on it's own that by the end of it you forgot how it had started 😕

So yeah regardless of fan fic or other novels sometimes being too wordy and complex does take away from the essence of the story

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_StarryNights

@_StarryNights

Voyager

Posted: 10 years ago

I have 2 books of Jane Austen. I think I finished reading them last week.
There were few words which I had never heard of. And got tired after searching the meanings of each. So I had to skip few sentences/paragraphs to complete the story. Of course I ended up liking both. I don't know if this happened with anyone. I am new to this world (started reading 1 year back. And there was no stopping). So my experience would be different from others.

Coming to fanfictions One of the reason for me joining IF was to read these stories. Had read one/two twilight and hp ffs.
I think ff gives you the chance of exploring the imagination of the story you loved the most. You already know the characters and will easily connect to them. This is the advantage of reading them. I am talking about IF now, I might have read hundreds of them by now. Fw are really dearly to me. As you have already said, the simplicity of the story was one of the reason. So people like me who never read any stories before, as a starter, can start with reading ffs first. I swear it will take you to the world of books. But hey, they are damn addictive 😆

So I would pic simple stories/ff😃
I hope whatever I have written made sense 😕 😆

p.s...I have read your ff, beauty and beast (few chapters)

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TenTinyBreaths

@TenTinyBreaths

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 10 years ago

Content matters the most to me..

I really love reading because it soothes my mind and stir those emotions which we wouldn't have known existed if authors didn't pen it down with extreme brilliance..

So whatever be the language if it stirs my thoughts i go for it..

Expanding literary knowledge will be a bonus to me nd i dont think i should complain about dat.. ;) ;)

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Krishna

@kubare

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 10 years ago

Originally posted by: .Optimism.
Content matters the most to me..
I really love reading because it soothes my mind and stir those emotions which we wouldn't have known existed if authors didn't pen it down with extreme brilliance..
So whatever be the language if it stirs my thoughts i go for it..
Expanding literary knowledge will be a bonus to me nd i dont think i should complain about dat.. ;) ;)

Ditto...

Content matters the most really...and the second thing is ones interest and mood. Am a book worm...I read anything and everything from light to heavy to fiction to non-fiction...the only thing is the story...the writing should hold ones interest should pull one in...make one think...feel...experience...

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Laugh.Out.Loud

@Laugh.Out.Loud

Dazzler

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

For me, the things that matters most is what is written. I don't really take notice of how it is written, even though bad grammar frustrates me a lot. If my mind is clear, I would read complex stories, cause it's difficult to sink into complex writing when we have cloudy minds. And if I want to clear my mind, I read simply written books.

But yes, I mostly read books with simple language cause my mind is mostly too cloudy. 😛

Edited by Laugh.Out.Loud - 10 years ago

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Lavender mist

@bluemoon255

Stunner

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

I prefer simple but I do like both. there is a beauty to both of them. I feel classics and other heavy ones have there own flow and beauty which just pulls u in and you wouldn't like it in any other way while simple one lets you feel like you are floating.(I don't know if I am making any sense😆)

what irks me is how some authors purposely bring in extra complexity into their writing for just the heck of it even though the situation doesn't demand it.

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Angel-likeDevil

@Angel-likeDevil

Trailblazer

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

#10

Writings shrouded in literary graces, techniques, etc always make for qualitative reading. I read both. But the ones employed with literary devices makes the book worth reading. It gives the mind some work... It's interesting as well, apart from being entertained. It's always enjoyable to see each writer write and employ various techniques in their own ways.

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Simple Writing or Literary Heavy??

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