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Q&A Writing for a broad spectrum of readers. How do you engage the elite whilst appealing to the base?

I've always struggled with this. I like to write at the top of my knowledge without leaving those not having the benefit my experience behind. It may sound arrogant but if I write for the lowest c...

3 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Surtsey‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T06:31:03Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/28260
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar Surtsey‭ · 2019-12-08T06:31:03Z (almost 5 years ago)
I've always struggled with this. I like to write at the top of my knowledge without leaving those not having the benefit my experience behind.

It may sound arrogant but if I write for the lowest common denominator I feel my target reader will get bored of reading (and I'll get bored of writing).

To exacerbate the issue I can use a camera-control slow-reveal opening.

"Dearly beloved . . ."

The sounds of the speech were drowned out by Emily's relentless nagging internal voice. "There is neither good nor bad, only thinking makes it so."

". . . gathered here today . . ."

"There is neither good nor bad, only thinking makes it so. There is neither good nor bad, only thinking makes it so." She'd rehearsed for this moment. It would be okay. She was just a little nervous - that's all.

". . . in the sight of God . . ."

She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for her cue. "There is neither good nor bad, only thinking makes it so. There is neither good nor bad, only thinking makes it so. There is neither good nor bad, only thinking makes it so."

The room fell silent.

That was her cue. It was her turn to speak her line.

The internal voice intensified, repeating the same line over and over again. "There is neither good nor bad, only thinking makes it so."

The minister cleared his throat.

"There is neither . . ."

Emily drew breath to speak. "I –"

" . . . only thinking . . ."

"I . . . I don't want to go to prison!" Emily blurted out before hitching up her dress and sprinting away down the aisle.

The bang of the church door echoed as she slammed it behind her.

The minister raised his brows. "Oops."

- Some readers may have no clue what's going on.
- Other readers may understand a nervous bride has absconded on her wedding day. But may be confused by the prison option.
- The fully tuned may understand a bride who's absconded on her wedding day, and understand the option was not prison whilst assuming several aspects of her character and back-story.
#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2017-05-24T10:39:39Z (over 7 years ago)
Original score: 0