I have a question, Does the story have to have complex language to be readable?

[Sora22]

Should it contain heavy vocab ? Do I have to work harder than I already do ? Cuz I thought writing is a bit simple hobby..and I really want my story to be read, please tell me if that's wrong and I should improve my writing skills first. :')

 

[melchi]

it doesn't have to be complex, it just needs to not be repetitive.

EX: Scene 1 a bunch of people talking in a bar

scene 2 people talking in the forest

scene 3 people talking in a castle

= Bad

It needs to have a variety. Complex language is just one way of doing that.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

I think it may be more a matter of style. Some authors need to use complex language to get ideas across, others work best with simplicity.

 

[Sora22]

Thank u , I appreciate your advices ! I think I'll just keep it simple and avoid repetitiveness.

 

[Lysander_Works]

Technically, no. Some readers (like myself) heavily prefer strong vocab and flawless sentence structuring when reading content. It's oddly one big thing I'm picky on when wanting to get into something.
But there have been readers who have instead sold me on the good plot of a story instead.

 

[Eldoria]

Why complicate the language? The most important thing is that your writing can be imagined by the reader. Try writing a specific scene, then read it or have someone else read it, and ask yourself or the reader what you imagine when reading it. If the abstraction of the scene is clearly depicted, congratulations, you have successfully narrated a classy fiction.

 

[expentio]

There are just a few "sins" one should avoid. Most prominent being repeating the same word in short succession. Especially as a sentence start. As long as your speech doesn't end up monotonous, simple may even be considered better. Just draw a lively picture with what you're given.

 

[Daitengu]

IMO language is about characterization. As such a 3rd pov should be neutral. While the characters have their speech be simple to complex, depending on background.

An example is Reed Richards will go on techno babbling, while Hulk smash.

 

[Deleted member 166465]

Not all literature is supposed to have a heavy load of convoluted words and sintaxis.
In web pages like this is the other way around, here predominates the "Light novel" style and structure, wich usually is not supposed to be to extrict in its literary quality (I dont mean bad quality, I just mean there is no chance in hell a webnovel or light novel wil win a literature novel price).
So be free to write in a more "colloquial/informal" way, after all the most important thing for a story is to engaje the reader. You can write the most gramatically, technically, and literary perfect book ever, if no one wants to read it, is just a pointless lump of words.
That being said, there is no damage on improving you skill as writer, maybe is just a hobby, but you might as well end up as the next Sanderson.

 

[mythosandmagic]

Readability is a good thing. You want it to be smart enough to tell the story, but not too smart so you don't alienate anyone.
There are several readability scales.

Spache (Revised)
Flesch-Kincaid
Linsear Write

 

[Joyager2]

I’m not a big fan of Stephen King and I have my qualms with On Writing, but I think about his passage about vocabulary a fair amount. He says:

Put your vocabulary on the top shelf of your toolbox, and don't make any conscious effort to improve it. (You'll be doing that as you read, of course... but that comes later.) One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you're maybe a little bit ashamed of your short ones.

If you’re worried about your vocab, don’t be. Read as much as you can and eventually it’ll come to you. In the meantime, read some authors known for their limited vocabulary and study them. See how they make a sentence from simple words. Hemingway is best for this, in my opinion.

 

[A_the_king_of_all]

Nope according me as writting is beautiful when it's understandable like if it's readable i don't care if it's complex or not all it matters is that the readers and the writter has fun reading or writing

 

[Puji-Maki]

It didn't have to. I don't want to search in dictionary while I'm reading, it breaks the mood and tone.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

Should it contain heavy vocab ? Do I have to work harder than I already do ? Cuz I thought writing is a bit simple hobby..and I really want my story to be read, please tell me if that's wrong and I should improve my writing skills first. :')

You're setting yourself to drive away potential readers outside your niche if you use complex language in your narrative.

Use only those words if you can't find an alternative, or it will make your dialogues unnatural. Nevertheless, if you did use those, provide context clues for your readers to understand these without explaining yourself.

 

[Kara_dija]

Personally, I'm using —and also prefer as a reader— simple vocab. Reading the stories themselves consume a lot of mental energy for me, i dont wanna exert more on vocab.
And as a writer, English isn't my first language, but I read English books a lot, and I want to encourage more people to read more. Using simple words is a way that I think will make people read more, both native, and non-native English speakers.