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Q&A Do you have to write in the tone of ordinary speech?

This depends on the message you are trying to convey If you are writing fiction you may use archaic speech to make a character unique, or you may have everyone speak that way to show how the socie...

posted 6y ago by Secespitus‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-12T23:01:20Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33126
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T07:53:41Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33126
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T07:53:41Z (over 4 years ago)
### This depends on the message you are trying to convey

If you are writing fiction you may use archaic speech to make a character unique, or you may have everyone speak that way to show how the society acts. Another option is trying to show the reader that they are in a time that is unlike the one they are used to. It is not required to write in the tone of ordinary speech if the character you are trying to portray is supposed to be different from what is perceived as "normal" or "ordinary". It can also be used as the voice for your narration. Archaic speech could show that you are aiming for a fairytale style.

If, on the other hand, you are not writing fiction, but for example a thesis, you may not want to use archaic speech as it would be a bit more difficult to understand and is quite often unnecessary, making it a distraction from the content your are trying to make the reader understand. Though many people believe that it can potentially make you sound smarter.

Of course in any case you as the author can decide whether you like it or not. If there is an editor involved he may change some things, but if you prefer to sound archaic for whatever reason then that is your choice. The normal argument is that things that are not "normal" are often harder to understand, which may or may not be what you want to achieve and which may or may not put your readers off, depending on who your target audience is, what your medium is, what content you are trying to show and what feelings you want to convey.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-02-08T18:05:35Z (about 6 years ago)
Original score: 6