A Plea for Accuracy and Fact-Checking on DU

[MineralMan]

30. Yes, word choices are important.

As a freelance magazine writer, the term we used was "Level of diction." Each magazine had one that you were supposed to follow. Generally, it was expressed in a "grade level." Most magazines use an 8th grade level of diction.

So, one of the things you have to learn is: how much of your available vocabulary can you use? The funny thing was that I was always able to adjust it as needed without spending a lot of time thinking about it. For some reason, I could instantly adjust my level of diction as I wrote. Then, for magazines that cover DIY topics, there were other things to consider. For example: What tools does the average reader own? Of course, I owned a larger tool set than most of my readers, so I had to adjust my techniques for almost everything to suit the readers of that particular magazine.

It was very interesting. I believe the average level of diction in the USA is steadily going down. I'm glad not to be writing for a living these days.