The Conflict Between Simplicity and Eloquence When Writing for the Masses
In trying to attract an audience, are you improving your writing or improving your marketing?
Advice runs rampant on the internet. Write every day. Create a writing routine. Write about what you love. Write for your audience.
Recently, I read an article from a well-known blogger that advises keeping writing simple. Sentences and paragraphs should be clear and concise. Shorten sentences. Create plenty of white space between paragraphs. Ensure ideas are crystal clear. Use bullets for takeaways.
As a reader who loves the eloquence of the written language, I felt vaguely affronted. I highly value the poetry of the written word, even when not in a poetic form.
Recently, while reading Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano, I was struck by the sheer beauty of the author’s words. As she told the story of a young boy, a lone survivor of a plane crash that killed his parents and brother, I was not only gripped by the sheer emotions in the narrative, I was equally gripped by the construction of her sentences and paragraphs.
I frequently paused and re-read the sentences she created. Each sentence contributed value to her story and left me ruminating on the meaning.
