: Re: Is there a reference for "dumbing down" material? I've noticed some fiction authors (James Patterson, for instance) over time "dumbed down" their writing to include less obscure words and less

@Lengel543

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Dumb down is a phrase that conveys contempt for your audience: you're using small words and simple phrases because you believe that your audience isn't as smart as you are. That may be true, but you should ask yourself this: If the ideas in your complex sentences and unfamiliar words can be conveyed as well by simpler text, how good a writer are you?

Rather than dumbing down, look for ways to clear up your writing. The ideals of plain style are as good a guide as any to writing clearly without assuming the worst about your readers. Remember that simplifying the language that you use doesn't mean that you have to simplify your topic. Without obscure language getting in the way, readers will be better able to understand what you write about complex subjects.

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