What Is "Purple Prose"? · Wordsmiths’ Guild

What Is "Purple Prose"?

Purple prose is writing that is trying so hard to be beautiful that it accidentally gets in the way of the story.

It usually shows up as too many adjectives, too many metaphors, too much symbolism, or sentences that draw attention to themselves instead of the scene.

For example:

The incandescent orb of molten gold languidly descended beneath the undulating horizon, painting the celestial canvas with ineffable hues.

Translation:

The sun set.

Of course, those are opposite extremes. Good writing lives somewhere in the middle.

Beautiful prose isn't the enemy. Some of my favorite authors write gorgeous sentences. The difference is that they know when to let a sentence sing.

If every sentence is trying to be unforgettable, none of them are.

One of the hardest lessons in writing is realizing that readers don't need to be impressed by every line. They need to be carried through the story. Save your best language for the moments that earn it.

A good question to ask during editing is:

"Is this sentence serving the story, or is it asking the reader to admire the writing?"

Those aren't always the same thing.

1 comment

What Is "Purple Prose"?