Writing: Don’t Confuse Your Reader
In writing, clarity is always a good thing. The reader can tell the difference between confusion in a character and confusion in the writer.
I’ve never seen Penelope Cruz in a movie. So when I recently went to the public library to exchange my tapes of films for other films, I picked up the Spanish film “Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes)” starring a very young looking Penelope Cruz. The film was released in 1997.
Image via Wikipedia
This was part of the blurp on the back of the case of the tape: In this steamy, intriguingly complex, psychological thriller the line between reality and fantasy is hopelessly blurred…
Image via Wikipedia
You got that right.
Let me just say that at the end of 117 minutes I still didn’t know what in the film was real and what was fantasy. And it wasn’t Penelope’s fault. It was the way the film was written.
I’ve come across writers who do the same thing. Sometimes they don’t even know that they’re being confusing.
It has been my experience that many novice writers try to make a mystery in their writing where there really is none. When I was a teaching assistant in the writing program at the University of Pittsburgh a few years ago, one thing my students knew was a sure way to have their papers returned for a do over, or to insure a poor grade, was for their writing to be confusing.
Even when they said that the writing was confused because it represented the confusion in a character’s mind, I still didn’t go for it. The confusion had to be in the character, not the writing.
Believe me, readers can tell the difference.
You will find lots of examples of clear writing here: Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette
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Tags: Flash fiction, writer, Writers, Writing
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June 14th, 2010 at 3:25 am
Thanks Guy. I’ve been re-reading some of my earlier pieces of writing here on Triond lately and reworking them. Hopefully I have a little more clarity now, though it’s something that needs to be worked at.
June 14th, 2010 at 6:52 am
Reading confusing stuff is trying indeed for the reader, I just came across one.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:02 am
This is so true. If by the end of the movie you are still confused then it was the writers fault. An example too is when their is no consistency in character or a behavior not meant for that character.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:17 am
This article is an eye opener for me. Sometimes I don’t think how the article would seem to the reader.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:21 am
Great article, this is a wonderful help.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:47 am
I have found that clarity in writing is not something that just happens. A writer must give attention to detail. That usually means a writer has to re-read his or her work several times to make sure that it is clear. Re-reading means each word must make sense and then each sentence and then each paragraph. Only then will the entire piece make sense. Many writers do a quick re-reading and then hit the submit button. Some don’t even do a quick re-reading. They just hit the submit button. And it shows.
June 14th, 2010 at 9:13 am
The most unclear writers are the ones who write in another language, then just translate it and try to pass it off on Triond.
http://writinghood.com/online-writing/translated-articles-should-not-be-allowed/
June 14th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Amen! There’s nothing I hate more than getting to the end of something and thinking WTF?
June 14th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Readers are our lifeblood! We have to keep them focused and entertained at the end of the day. Thanks for sharing.
June 14th, 2010 at 10:09 am
Excellent advice here.
June 14th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Readers would look forward to more articles from the same author, if his or her writing is presented clearly and precisely.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:16 am
A good piece that I so agree with
June 14th, 2010 at 11:18 am
Excellent manner and very well-written sentence is doing, with useful information includes a good things you have in your article.
Thanks and cheers.
Sara
June 14th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Well written and informative as usual Guy. Hope all is well with you. Me, I’m coming back from la-la land and the dostors can leave me alone for another couple of years, this last surgery did not work, but not letting it get me down. Keep up the good work Prof!
June 14th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Very nice observation about unclear, confused and confusing writing.
June 14th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Amen, and I am so guilty of that. I write in the way that I think which is wierd unto itself and just assume my thoughts will carry over. Your article has just hit me like a brick upside my head.
Thanks
June 14th, 2010 at 1:36 pm
Educational writing. I always have an open mind for this.
June 14th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
You are very right my friend.
June 14th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
As a new writer, I really appreciate this tip.
June 14th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Very much agree with you, Guy. Good observation.
June 14th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
You are so correct. The written word as to be clear to the person reading it and not only on the mind of the writer. Good points.
June 14th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Nice one, some good flash up there. =)
June 14th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
This is very good advice, as has been all of the articles I have read by you. I am glad you post these articles for us.
June 14th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
You have hit the nail on the head. Sometimes even the title is confusing.
June 14th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Every piece of text is open to the readers interpretation. Look at the best piece of fiction ever made, ‘The Bible’, its open to a million and one interpretations, and it all depends what part of the world your from that defines your very definition of the written words.No matter how great the writer, if the reader is uneducated, or just a little slow, clarity would become murky water! Great article otherwise Guy
June 14th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Thanks for sharing this. Yeah me and my bro just hate those movies that in the end u still don’t know wat it about..
June 14th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
Thnx for sharing this wonderful post, Guy. As always very educative.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
Nice share..thanks for sharing this great tips
June 15th, 2010 at 1:44 am
Hmmm! It is a good article and a good point is made. Writing must be rationally correct and clear. Although English is not my native language but I think that instead of
Sometimes they don’t even know that they’re being confusing.
it should have been like this
Sometimes they don’t even know that they’re being confused.
After being, “ing” is not used with the verb.
June 15th, 2010 at 2:45 am
a very relevant post. Thanks for bringing up the topic.
June 15th, 2010 at 3:12 am
yes, very true… I hate it when I get confused after its ending…
June 15th, 2010 at 5:00 am
You are so right on that score, I try to write in very plain English even to the point of being basic, let the story tell itself dont just throw in long words to confuse people and make the story have a proper ending not a dream sequence or did the character just imagine the story in his lunch break! Great points. LB
June 15th, 2010 at 6:11 am
absolutely correct…
June 15th, 2010 at 6:41 am
nice article
June 15th, 2010 at 10:10 am
great post very interesting!!!!
June 15th, 2010 at 10:35 am
Penelope Cruz looks so hot in this picture. But not so in movies.
June 15th, 2010 at 11:25 am
true. sometimes we try to be smart and create this maze of content without any profundity.
thanks guy
June 15th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
thanks for sharing!
June 15th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
another very good writing hood article
June 15th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
so true.
good article
June 15th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
well said.
June 15th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Thank you for this artilce, I like to write so the reader feels like they are in the picture. I would like readers to let me know when I am off beam.
June 16th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
No confusion here . Perfect . j
June 17th, 2010 at 6:35 am
very good read and to the point…
June 17th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
A writer should give a good explanation on what he/she writes. A good article is not a confusing one. Good job!
June 18th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Thanks, this is a very good tip for beginning article writers
June 19th, 2010 at 4:35 am
Very important point described for writing. Thanks.
June 19th, 2010 at 6:37 am
Good one ;]
June 19th, 2010 at 8:18 am
Well, I didn’t see the original one but Cameron Crowe made an american verison of that movie called Vanilla Sky, also- starring Penelope Cruz. I loved it. It is charm is in the confusion. I guess it works if the writer can arise genuine intrigue among the audience.
The film’s ending is open and the fun is in the interpretation. But I agree with you that some writers confuse intrigue with genuine confusion.
By the way, Vanilla Sky has a great rock soundtack. I included its songs on my blog:
http://pinartarhan.com/blog/4-good-movies-with-awesome-soundtracks-shoot-em-up-jerry-maguire-reality-bites-and-vanilla-sky/
I talk about the movie and linked to the videos of the songs. Check it out if it interests you:)
June 19th, 2010 at 9:19 am
thanks for sharing!
I’ll be sure not to confuse my readers with what I write.. ^__^
June 19th, 2010 at 11:21 am
She was in sahara
June 20th, 2010 at 6:23 am
Very well written, and very true
June 20th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Wow, tons of comments there.I actually wanted to write a screen play and figured as I got going I need more practice, so I’m here!
June 24th, 2010 at 2:53 am
i would like to join the bandwagon of your admirers
thank you for the writing tips
very informative
(^_^)
June 24th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Wonderful writing tips keep up the good work.
June 29th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Well, Guy seems I missed this one, not deliberately I just noticed I had not read it. I was out of town for a week, so maybe that’s why, anyway I, know I write some very mixed up things, at times, but I simply like to write, and it just comes pouring out at times…. my other half keeps telling me the same thing as you say, and telling me to Edit it for a day or two before posting…. I have tried, but that just drives me nuts, most everything I write on triond is straight of the page its what makes me happy. cheers
July 7th, 2010 at 12:53 am
LOL I agree with u wholeheartedly!
July 9th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Great information to share, and maybe I could use this to benefit me. I don’t know though, sometimes it is not always clear on what I am writing about. I tend to write the same way I speak, which also confuses people at times.
July 30th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Thanks for the tip. I’ve always found it a bit hard to write something that’s not confusing to the reader because to me it isn’t. I guess that’s just because I’m the writer though.
August 10th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
You neglect an entire Genre of Literature in this article: Post-modernism. The entire concept behind post-modernism is to lower the weight we all put on comprehension, while still maintaining the level of aesthetics that can please the mind. Ask anyone who’s read Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon – you constantly feel like your lost. But you can still find satisfaction in reading such material, and the value of a re-read skyrockets.
September 9th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Hi Guy Hogan, I’m alvinbsamuel!
You’re right, when one writes, they should as direct as possible to their readers, so that no one gets confused. Otherwise, why are you writing if others can understand what you’re trying to say? You should read some of my stuff and see if they make sense to you, and please leave comments if you can!!
-alvinbsamuel