Purple Prose

Hello again! It’s (obviously) Leah Larkspur, and recently I’ve been thinking about Purple Prose. So, what is it? Luckily, I know the answer to that. Here’s an example of purple prose:

“Such blasphemy plagues my senses!” He cried, back to his talkative self. “Nobody has ever silenced me, SkyWing! Away! You infect my eyes.” — Peacemaker in The Adventures of Jade Mountain Academy, Fanfic by Leah Larkspur

Purple prose is the type of thing that can be exquisitely wonderful when executed properly, or exceedingly annoying if overdone. (See what I did there? Purple prose?) Purple prose includes metaphors, long, extravagant words, and bizarre references.

“When do you use purple prose?”

That all depends on the sort of story I’m writing, the setting, and the characters that use it. Let’s say I’m describing a meadow in the springtime. I could simply say:

The grass was filled with freshly bloomed flowers and baby animals learning to walk.

Or the ‘purple prose’ way:

The tall grasses were swimming in a wide expanse of life; small flowers lifted their faces to the sun, soaking in his warmth. A feeling of new life ran through my blood; young deer and baby bunnies were learning to take their first steps towards their mothers.

Yeah… I like ‘ornate’ and ‘flowery’ vocabulary when writing description scenes, because that’s what clever words are for. Setting a beautiful and ageless scene.

I guess, in short, the most important thing to remember when trying to decide when purple prose is unnecessary or vice versa is “Does this take away from the rest of the narrative?” Because metaphors and unique and flowery words should be a treat, so your story isn’t difficult or tedious to read. So, what do you guys think? What’s your opinion on Purple Prose, and when (if ever) do you use it?

That’s all for now.

Leah Larkspur, out.