Newbie here, I need senpais' advice.

[mozziexxxx]

Lately i write a draft story like most chinese novels. There are a lot of face-slapping strikes, sl*t defyng kicks, or heavenly plot armor in my story. I don't enjoy it, but somehow i can make a lot of wordcounts. Anyway, this is not what i wanna talk about.

Do you think it's better to write a novel that is simple and easy to understand, or a novel with "beautiful" writing?

 

[SailusGebel]

Simple and easy to understand is better.

 

[georgelee5786]

Either is good, but I prefer beautiful writing

 

[TotallyHuman]

If you're not confident in your language enough, of course you use the simpler language. Good authors use more "difficult" beautiful language to convey what they want to convey better - not to brag, so if this question arises in the first place, the answer is already obvious.

 

[Jailbreak571]

...
Simple

 

[CupcakeNinja]

Lately i write a draft story like most chinese novels. There are a lot of face-slapping strikes, sl*t defyng kicks, or heavenly plot armor in my story. I don't enjoy it, but somehow i can make a lot of wordcounts. Anyway, this is not what i wanna talk about.

Do you think it's better to write a novel that is simple and easy to understand, or a novel with "beautiful" writing?

why cant it be both? you just need to know when its beautiful and when you're just spouting needlessly complicated or poetic prose

 

[ACertainPassingUser]

If you're going to write Chinese sect or group or something, please Translate their group name in English.

Like for example, BlackSteel, DarkCloud, GreenMist or RedDragon sect.

But keep the real people name in original or unrecognizable language.

For example : lady Nanfan, sir Xing Ye, grandma Ling, etc.

 

[LilRora]

Best go for a balance of both, something doesn't require extensive English knowledge but will still sound like prose, not bland recounting of events. I personally don't like excessively flowery language in stories, but you need to make it all descriptive and engaging somehow.

Generally though try to match it with the situation. If you're just writing a random fight or scene from life, simple words will do and trying to complicate it you will mostly end up overcomplicating things. When you write about some godly, exalted, or otherwise important events or people, take the descriptive words up a notch and make it more fancy.

 

[Corty]

Write something you are satisfied with. If it's OP MC fucking, killing, or marrying anything that comes his way (the order can be mixed and matched), then do that. If its something serious and thought-provoking, go for it. As long as you have fun writing, it will show in your story and produce results by gathering readers.

 

[melchi]

Simple and easy to understand is better.

+1
Don't underestimate how easily people can get confused.

 

[mozziexxxx]

Best go for a balance of both, something doesn't require extensive English knowledge but will still sound like prose, not bland recounting of events. I personally don't like excessively flowery language in stories, but you need to make it all descriptive and engaging somehow.

Generally though try to match it with the situation. If you're just writing a random fight or scene from life, simple words will do and trying to complicate it you will mostly end up overcomplicating things. When you write about some godly, exalted, or otherwise important events or people, take the descriptive words up a notch and make it more fancy.

It's really helpful, thank you.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Every word has a meaning. Light red is not the same as pink. Some people talk complicated and formal. Some people talk ghetto.

The words you use depend on the scene.

 

[SailusGebel]

+1
Don't underestimate how easily people can get confused.

I agree, but my main point is, not everyone have the same level of English. Everyone talks about the story, how different approach affects the prose and so on, yet no one mention that there are people who don't even know English and use google translate to read. Simple and easy to understand is always better if you want a bigger audience.

 

[Paul_Tromba]

Simple, yet, elegant. Easy to follow and understand, but with a sense of superiority. Short words, used modestly and with purpose.

 

[K5Rakitan]

Write what you want to read.

 

[Philosophicalwanderer999]

Write what you want to read.

Up, But if your sacrificing ur time why not go for beautiful writing why do the bare minimum and be simple, but either way as long as you enjoy what u write it's all that matters.

 

[Omnifarious]

What is "beautiful"?

 

[TotallyHuman]

What is "beautiful"?

me

 

[Anon2024]

Webnovel - simple
Non-webnovel - beautiful

most who read webnovels don’t have English as a first language and wouldn’t appreciate the larger vocabularies that beautiful language requires. I realized this later on.