Purple Prose

What exactly is purple prose and why should you avoid it?

Purple prose can be defined as overwriting, using flowery language, and making the writing so complicated it’s hard to even understand it. Purple prose calls attention to the writing instead of the story.

Have you ever read any? It’s easy to spot. Here’s an example, “The rosy fingers of dawn gently painted the azure sky, while tender grass blades waved their welcome in the breeze scented with soft roses and fragrant honeysuckle on a lazy summer day that tasted of tangy lemonade and sweet watermelon.” Doesn’t that seem a bit over the top?

Yes, it’s important to include sensory images in your descriptions, but go easy with them. Don’t overwhelm the reader with so many images he becomes confused.

Another way in which authors use purple prose is when they want to demonstrate their vast knowledge of a subject. Authors sometimes fall into the trap of wanting to share every detail they’ve gleaned about a subject they’ve researched in detail. Some use of certain jargon is acceptable, but spending pages and pages explaining a medical procedure in technical terms that doesn’t move the story forward will drive readers away. It’s best to sprinkle in facts and specific terms without detracting from the story.

You want readers to see the story, not the writing. The writing itself should be transparent. Using flowery or complicated language will detract from the story. The last thing you want to do as a writer is to make readers stumble over your words or notice the language rather than the story. Once a reader is pulled from the story, it can be difficult to reel him back in. Try to keep your writing simple and easy to read.

Readers want to be absorbed in the story, they want to lose themselves in the world you’ve created, they want to imagine themselves as the hero or heroine. Stay away from overwritten, purple prose, and you’ll have a much better chance of keeping your readers.