Writers! Give @TWSSFU a follow & enter into your 2026 calendars the upcoming #TWSsprints and #TWSOchat sessions. Twitter Sessions: 2nd Sunday of each month -- TWS Twitter Chats #TWSOchat 4th Sunday of each month -- TWS Writing Sprints #TWSsprints
I've never read any of Anthony Horowitz's work, I'll have to check it out. Definitely not mutually exclusive, it was an odd critique I think. It seems though that genre fiction like romance and thrillers etc. tend to be looked upon as "non-literary" by some writers/publishers #TWSOchat
Would you really say that everything "literary" is interesting? I think it's subjective like other things. But you are right some people would consider Stephen King's horror novels literary for sure. Would you consider his work to be of a clear/simple writing style say diction wise? #TWSOchat
Big love to the writers participating in today's #TWSOchat on Simplicity in Your Writing: @oranmagal.bsky.social @candietanaka.bsky.social
A3. We're over a century past The Sun Also Rises but there's still this bias toward "simplicity." It's one tool out of infinite ways to tell a story. It has a lot of commercial advantages, but there's more to reading and writing. #TWSOchat
A9. I reject this. Use the right tools for the right job. If you're telling an enemies-to-lovers yarn for a readership with strict formal expectations, stay in your lane. If you're going to use a chorus of narrators and jump around in time and keep your reader off balance, lfg.
#TWSOchat
A1. I think I’m trying for more complexity these days. I want to keep the clarity of simple sentences, but I’m interested in more than clarity. (Late!) #TWSOchat
Save the date for the next #TWSOchat on Sunday, April 12th at 10:30am (PDT). We will discuss What We Can Learn From Poetry. Join in with TWS alumni + mentors to ask q's and share your knowledge. #writerschat #WritingCommnunity
Writers! Give us a follow too/mark in your calendars, so that you will know about the upcoming #TWSsprints and #TWSOchat sessions. Bluesky Sessions: 2nd Sunday of each month -- TWS Bluesky Chats #TWSOchat 4th Sunday of each month -- TWS Writing Sprints #TWSsprints
Thanks writing friends for joining in on another interesting discussion. As always, thank you for sharing! At TWS we love to hear how your writing is going and what you are finding interesting in the literary world. #TWSOchat #writers #writingcommunity
Please follow the #writers participating in #TWSOchat, this community grows by sharing info + resources. Today we discussed “Simplicity in Your Writing” ~ I will tweet the writers' handles asap! ^ct #writing #writerschat
Q9. "Everything written in self-conscious, writerly prose, on the other hand, is now considered to be "literary fiction"—not necessarily good literary fiction, mind you, but always worthier of respectful attention than even the best-written thriller or romance." Interesting or not? #TWSOchat
A7. I think 50/50, some people do ramble on a bit talking about concepts using a certain level of what might be seen as sophisticated language. But what I find is if you REALLY listen or read the text what they are saying at times doesn't make any sense. Others writers are brilliant! ^ct #TWSOchat
Q8. Here's an article about simplicity of the first sentence and how that can be the hook that draws a reader in - lithub.com/jonathan-lee... i.e. Toni Morrison's, “124 was spiteful. Full of Baby’s venom.” #TWSOchat "No one wants to feel the writer trying to hard." ~ cringe Have you seen this?
Q7."A study found that when people use complicated language, they come across as less intelligent. Complexity trap: Complicated language & jargon offer writers the illusion of sophistication, but jargon can send a signal to some readers that the writer is dense/overcompensating"- thoughts? #TWSOchat
A3. I think as mentioned my creative writing might have a more simplistic style but I do enjoy reading (at times) writing that is more complex (as long as it doesn't lose me) and I can follow along with plot lines and characters ^ct #TWSOchat
It is! follow along with #TWSOchat and join in. We'd love to hear your thoughts or how you are doing with your writing practice.
Q6. When writing dialogue there is a way to portray something about a character using "simplicity" in their language. It could portray a more straightforwardness, their anger, speaking to the somber realities of their lived experience, or rebelliousness. Have you used simplicity this way? #TWSOchat
Q5. There is a concept know as the "aesthetic response theory" which has to do with having its "roots in the text" and focuses on what happens to the reader as they read through a literary work as opposed to an "reception theory" (judging for complexity/diction in text). What do you think? #TWSOchat
Click on this hashtag #TWSOchat to see the whole conversation for the writing chat and make sure to use it in your replies. Let us know if you have any other questions :) and welcome everyone! #writing #WritingCommunity #writerschat
Q4. Are there authors that write in a style where it could be deemed that they are writing in a simple style in your opinion? One quote from writer Arundhati Roy in "The End of Imagination" says, "To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple." #TWSOchat
Q3. What does simplicity in writing mean to you and do you prefer that style for writing and/or reading? Or do you like simplicity for one of the two and then are okay with a more complex style for the other? #TWSOchat
A1. I think I have the opposite problem, where my writing style might be too simple? Other writers have told me though that is the goal to have writing be simple and easy to understand. It's weird though as my academic writing is definitely a bit more complex. Trying to reconcile ^ct #TWSOchat
Q2. Some writers argue that "clean" writing is good writing and that sentences need to be revised into the simplest components. We need to watch for unnecessary adverbs, passive language and long words that serve no function because they weaken the sentence. How "clean" is your writing? #TWSOchat
If you have tips or q's today to share/ask re: Simplicity in Your Writing please *include hashtag #TWSOchat Alumni + mentors from @TWSSFU The Writer's Studio are here to share. Open to writers worldwide! #amwriting #writerslift #writers #writingtips
When responding to any of our questions, please use A1, A2, A3 etc. for your answer with our *hashtag #TWSOchat (very important) so everyone can see your posts! #writers #amwriting #writingtips #writinglife #writerscommunity
Also, happy last daylight savings time to us in BC! Will this mean we need to recalculate the time differences in each province? ^ct Asking for a friend that is me. Not really a #TWSOchat question but could affect people tuning into the chat?
Q1. Today’s #TWSOchat session is about Simplicity in Your Writing. Do your struggle with keeping your sentences simple or is your style to write more in a more complex nature? Is complexity in your writing something that you seek intentionally or do you just come about it naturally?
Good morning and welcome to the March 2026 #TWSOchat! Today we are going to discuss Simplicity in Your Writing w/TWS mentors & alum #amwriting #writing #literary #writerslift #WritingCommunity This chat is open to all #writers on Bluesky
Please note **High Posting Alert** for the next hour from 10:30am-11:30am (PDT) re: Simplicity in Your Writing ~ Join in w/ #TWSOchat w/ Q&A's #writers #writing #writerslift #writers
