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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/44597
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

You need to be precise, clear and uncomplicated.

When writing fiction, you want your text to have all the depths and layers you can add to it _without_ forcing your reader to stop and think too much since that will end suspension of disbelief.

Think reading trance. You want them to be in one if there's going to be any page turning during the early morning hours.

I maintain the readers are there for an emotional experience, not an intellectual, SAT-prep-like one.

But of course, it all comes down to target audience. What are yours like? Who are you writing for?

There are, on a spectrum, two extremes; Uncomplicated language, and complex characters, interactions, symbolism, etc. Or all that and complex language as well.

You probably need complex long words if you want to win the Noble prize, though, so there's always that... :D

I can only think of one place where I would use more complex vocabulary and that is in dialog. If you feel you need complexity, you can always put it in the mouth of a select few of your characters.

Just as with slang, though, be aware that your readers still need to be able to understand and that they still can get stuck and loose reading drive if they do.

Original score: 6