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by notlisted
4509 days ago
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There's a difference between "somebody" needing a dictionary, and "20% of your audience". If you write a book, go ahead and insert "fluffy" words, if they are more precise.
If you write a blog post or create site copy, assume the worst and keep it simple. (PS Neither am I, and so do I, but I admire writers like Steinbeck and Hemingway. Simple and powerful. It's actually harder, not easier.) |
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I agree that you should write to your audience, but at the same time, don't aim for the lowest common denominator. That's a race to the bottom. Site copy for a commercial site should be pitched at your customer's level. A personal blog post should be written the way you want to write - it's your voice. It's okay to expect your audience to be of a given quality, or for them to stretch themselves a little to understand you fluently. The other thing is that the more detailed your language, the better you can write between the lines. Not every concept needs to be explained directly when writing.
Keep in mind also that the article is talking about creative writing, something people read to enjoy. Striking out tired common terms like 'very' makes your writing more unique and interesting. The article isn't about how to do copywriting, though you still wouldn't want to use 'very' all that much there, either - repetitive phrases make for bad copy.