--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're writing stuff that's already…" description: "\"When you're writing stuff that's already clotted with neologisms and trying to get across fairly abstruse concepts, you're already putting a heavy burd..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/alastair-reynolds-2186_books_when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already_2115023.jpg" --- # When you're writing stuff that's already clotted with… ![“When you're writing stuff that's already clotted with neologisms and trying to get across fairly abstruse concepts, you're already putting a heavy burden on the reader.” quote by Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/alastair-reynolds-2186_books_when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already_2115023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/alastair-reynolds-2186_books_when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already_2115023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/alastair-reynolds-2186_books_when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already_2115023.jpg) > “When you're writing stuff that's already clotted with neologisms and trying to get across fairly abstruse concepts, you're already putting a heavy burden on the reader.” [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overloading writing with jargon and complex ideas burdens readers, hindering comprehension and engagement. **In simple terms:** Too much jargon makes reading hard. Key Takeaway Simplify language for clearer communication. Themes communication clarity writing Mood analytical considerate Type educational professional When to use this quote - technical manuals - academic papers - public talks Key Concepts cognitive load accessibility Questions to Reflect On - When do you choose simplicity over precision? - How can you balance depth and readability? A Different Perspective Complex language can alienate audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Heavy burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy-burden/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [You really burden the reader if you put things in but, "Oh, it's not interesting, but I'll put it in anyway." Then the reader's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-really-burden-the-reader-if-you-put-things-in-but-oh-it-s-not/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Humor makes our heavy burdens light and smoothes the rough spots in our pathways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/humor-makes-our-heavy-burdens-light-and-smoothes-the-rough-spots-in/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [The human mind is utterly stupid when it carries, quite willingly, the heavy burden of resentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/the-human-mind-is-utterly-stupid-when-it-carries-quite-willingly-the/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [Love carries through many difficulties easily and makes heavy burdens light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cotton/love-carries-through-many-difficulties-easily-and-makes-heavy-burdens/) [John Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cotton/) > [“Heavy burden is laid on our hearts, so we do not trust in ourselves. But in God , who gives grace for endurance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/heavy-burden-is-laid-on-our-hearts-so-we-do-not-trust-in-ourselves/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [A heart's a heavy burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-wynne-jones/a-heart-s-a-heavy-burden/) [Diana Wynne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-wynne-jones/) > [If politicians were serious about day care for children, instead of just sloganizing about it, nothing they could do would improve the quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/if-politicians-were-serious-about-day-care-for-children-instead-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“Unhappiness is such a heavy burden, those who carry it, when ever possible, unload it onto those around them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-price/unhappiness-is-such-a-heavy-burden-those-who-carry-it-when-ever/) Christopher Price > [I will light candles this Christmas, Candles of joy, despite all sadness, Candles of hope where despair keeps watch. Candles of courage where fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-thurman/i-will-light-candles-this-christmas-candles-of-joy-despite-all/) [Howard Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-thurman/) > [“But the expectation of the self, to be informed in its nothingness--if only I can get out of this old place and into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/but-the-expectation-of-the-self-to-be-informed-in-its-nothingness-if/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [You will find out that Charity is a heavy burden to carry, heavier than the kettle of soup and the full basket. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-find-out-that-charity-is-a-heavy-burden-to-carry-heavier/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Good ideas come with a heavy burden. Which is why so few people have them. So few people can handle it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-macleod/good-ideas-come-with-a-heavy-burden-which-is-why-so-few-people-have/) [Hugh MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-macleod/) > [A heavy burden lifted from my soul, I heard that love was out of my control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-heavy-burden-lifted-from-my-soul-i-heard-that-love-was-out-of-my/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The short version is that I started an internet diary a long, long time ago (six years!) because I was bored with my job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mulgrew/the-short-version-is-that-i-started-an-internet-diary-a-long-long/) [Jason Mulgrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mulgrew/) > [There's lots of different ways of writing stuff and lots of different mindsets to have, but I think when it's your own creation, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/there-s-lots-of-different-ways-of-writing-stuff-and-lots-of-different/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) ## More by Alastair Reynolds > [“We have made some collective mistakes as a species, it’s true – invested too much power in things we can’t see, let alone control.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/we-have-made-some-collective-mistakes-as-a-species-it-s-true-invested/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“So much for the tolerant acceptance of the other. We’re forging out into deep space – who knows what we’ll meet out there? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/so-much-for-the-tolerant-acceptance-of-the-other-we-re-forging-out/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“Believe me, when you're dealing with infectious alien mind parasites, I always find primitive is best." Then, calmly, almost as if it were a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/believe-me-when-you-re-dealing-with-infectious-alien-mind-parasites-i/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“There's a vorg loose," Meroka explained. "In case that escaped your attention. Ricasso's doing his bit for Swarm, trying to kill the thing before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/there-s-a-vorg-loose-meroka-explained-in-case-that-escaped-your/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“The two men -- Fray and Malkin -- were standing near each other. They were not unarmed. They were quite seriously not unarmed. Both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/the-two-men-fray-and-malkin-were-standing-near-each-other-they-were/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [I couldn't think of anything more pointless than reading a piece of fiction written by a robot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-couldn-t-think-of-anything-more-pointless-than-reading-a-piece-of/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [When I'm working on one book, part of my imagination is thinking ahead to the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/when-i-m-working-on-one-book-part-of-my-imagination-is-thinking-ahead/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [There is enough material in the Kuiper Belt to build anything out there. We could gobble up all the little asteroids, filtering out all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/there-is-enough-material-in-the-kuiper-belt-to-build-anything-out/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Victory loses its meaning without the memory of what you've vanquished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/victory-loses-its-meaning-without-the-memory-of-what-you-ve-vanquished/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“I don't know." That was typical Sajaki; like all the genuinely clever people Sylveste had met he knew better than to feign understanding where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-don-t-know-that-was-typical-sajaki-like-all-the-genuinely-clever/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Autocratic governments are masters of self-contradiction. They say one thing, do another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/autocratic-governments-are-masters-of-self-contradiction-they-say-one/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Speaking for myself, I really struggle to pinpoint whether I became a scientist because I like science fiction, or did I gravitate to science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/speaking-for-myself-i-really-struggle-to-pinpoint-whether-i-became-a/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“It’s not the span of time that counts, but what you do with it. While you humans have been grubbing around the galaxy, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/it-s-not-the-span-of-time-that-counts-but-what-you-do-with-it-while/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Dreams of warp drives and hyperspace are just that - dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/dreams-of-warp-drives-and-hyperspace-are-just-that-dreams/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [I had - and continued to have - great fun exploring the Revelation Space universe, but it was always clear to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-had-and-continued-to-have-great-fun-exploring-the-revelation-space/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) [Explore all 176 Alastair Reynolds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're writing stuff that's already clotted with neologisms and trying to get across fairly abstruse concepts, you're already putting a heavy burden on the reader.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alastair Reynolds" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already-clotted-with-neologisms-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already-clotted-with-neologisms-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/alastair-reynolds-2186_books_when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already_2115023.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/alastair-reynolds-2186_books_when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already_2115023.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/alastair-reynolds-2186_books_when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already_2115023.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're writing stuff that's already clotted with neologisms and trying to get across fairly abstruse…” — Alastair Reynolds", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alastair Reynolds", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're writing stuff that's already...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already-clotted-with-neologisms-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/when-you-re-writing-stuff-that-s-already-clotted-with-neologisms-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```