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Writing Advice: Vocabulary

Your vocabulary should be your own, but it should spiced up if your story doesn't have much flavor. The English Language is a beautiful thing, full of possibilities for describing the exact same situation in completely different ways.

It is important to have a flow of relatively interesting words, as otherwise the reader may become bored. This does not mean you should not overcomplicate the narrative, the words are drawn from the story, they should not become too restrictive towards your readership. It is also important to observe tone. The genre and perspective from which the story is told, will both be tips as to how fancy you should get with your descriptions and narration. A hard-boiled detective will have a different vocabulary than the sole survivor of an interstellar expedition.

As well, the language you use should add, not detract from the emotional disposition which you are attempting to evoke. If you become too bogged down in complex language, then you will find heartbreaking situations may have less of an impact.


On the flip side of this, plain language will prove inefficient at getting across vast or even abstract concepts. Where plain language fails, complex words should be employed, and vice versa.
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