The value of simplicity

It seems like I am the one to go against the grain here. I have always been a huge fan of Orwell's writing!

Perhaps it is because I am a very visual person, but I see authors like Joyce, Orwell, and Vonnegut, as having this quality where language is direct yet poignant. When I read their novels, its as if they are giving me the building blocks to play out scenes in my mind. The extras or 'fluff' so to speak is left to me and I value the degree of agency they give me in shaping the story. Years later, I can distinctly remember reading 1984 in highschool and how I felt when Julia slips her hand into Winston's. The writing was so simple yet so effective that I had chills down my spine.

Some of my favourite papers are Mordecai Richler's "Why I Write" and Vonnegut's "8 Keys to the Power of the Written Word" and his discussion on the semi-colon. Maybe I admire this kind of writing because it is similar to my own. Not to mention that I have difficulty feeling authentic when I try to be poetic.

Besides this point, as a CRO student also in the Museum Studies program, I have spent countless of hours distilling text to an 8th grade reading level for the public. When I consider my research interests and work experience, I think accessibility has come to shape what I value in research. I am a firm believer that the language of certain texts should be direct and to the point.

This not to say I do not enjoy descriptive and artful writing, but when you are creating a document to convince others to buy into your project (or stay longer in your exhibit) you need to consider how to effectively convey appropriate information in a timely manner. As an entry point or buy-in, the clearer the pitch the better.

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/01/14/how-to-write-with-style-kurt-vonnegut/