Putting the fake advice to death

[Amber]

I believe the Wendigo is right! If you´ve never read his blog, you should!

Setting Free The Sacred Cows Of Writing Advice

How amused he must be every time someone takes his advice.

 

[Kitty]

It's only an opinion of course, but I'd say you're no longer a beginner once you understand the rules enough to break them with purpose and not through ignorance.

I also believe it to be a gradual process. A big part of understanding the rules is being able to see why they exist in the first place and the potential pitfalls that they help us to avoid.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Upon this Sabbath day of rest and reflection, let us consider, gentle people, the furious, agonized writer's first, unchecked, instinctive response upon being told by some impertinent pipsqueak reader/agent/publisher//colleague/know-nothing squirt of a family traitor... that, contrary to his or her's most ardently cherished hope, belief, and mayhap delusion, s/he is still a beginner, a novice, jack, knave, not master of the craft. Nothing but a wannabe, not fit to walk the august halls of the literary pantheon. Not ready for best-seller-dom. Not ready even to be READ by a very, very, exceedingly bored person with absolutely nothing better to do but clean their nails instead.

ADD Well, if they want to get better at writing, they had better suck it up.

 

[Quillwitch]

It's only an opinion of course, but I'd say you're no longer a beginner once you understand the rules enough to break them with purpose and not through ignorance.

Agreed. Maybe I´m wrong, but i´m pretty sure we are all there.

 

[Quillwitch]

Well. I’m not so sure.

Except for that last sentence. I’m totally on board with your last sentence.

No... on second thought. I’m not completely on board.

After all, what is it to ‘truly’ understand the rules? This implies we need to understand each and every rule that some arbitrary authority on writing has made and insists we adhere to and my response to that is... seriously? Who are you?

Apparently you’re a rule maker.

I say learn some rules and break them as soon as you can get away with it.

I´m with you!

 

[Kitty]

Agreed. Maybe I´m wrong, but i´m pretty sure we are all there.

I beg to differ. I think most of us are still learning which is why Litopia is such a vital resource. I certainly still have much to learn. But perhaps a few of you have indeed reached that level of accomplishment where the rules no longer apply, which is great. But the rest of us would be wise to stick to the rules for now.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Maybe too, there is one rule for the published novelist...and another for the not- as- yet published.

The Use of the Sentence Fragment

 

[Kitty]

Maybe too, there is one rule for the published novelist...and another for the not- as- yet published.

The Use of the Sentence Fragment

I think this is very true

 

[Carol Rose]

I agree. Like anything - rule breakage or not - overusing something lessens its effectiveness and pulls the reader out of the story. That's exactly what you don't want.

 

[Quillwitch]

Maybe too, there is one rule for the published novelist...and another for the not- as- yet published.

The Use of the Sentence Fragment

Oh absolutely!

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I find the 'rules' give me a lens through which I can critically evaluate my writing. I look for those adverbs, those filtering words, those passive sentences, those times when I tell rather than show, those sentence fragments--they are flags to help me stop and ask myself whether that bit could be written better. Sometimes I get to those flags and say, 'Geeze that sucks! How could I have written that?!' Other times I hit a flag and say, 'Yes, that's exactly how I want that written.' I want to write something that engages the reader, and I'd personally like to reach as many readers as possible, so why wouldn't I pay attention to the 'rules' that help me do just that? And I think different 'rules' are probably more or less important based on genre. If I'm writing something geared to adventure-loving 8 year olds who would rather be out playing rugby, I'd damn well better show, not tell, or they won't read it. On the other hand, maybe adverbs are more acceptable for that audience, who may not understand the subtlety of showing complex emotions.

Anyway, I liked what Wendigo had to say, and I also pay attention to the rules. I choose to have my cake and eat it, too.

 

[Quillwitch]

I find the 'rules' give me a lens through which I can critically evaluate my writing. I look for those adverbs, those filtering words, those passive sentences, those times when I tell rather than show, those sentence fragments--they are flags to help me stop and ask myself whether that bit could be written better. Sometimes I get to those flags and say, 'Geeze that sucks! How could I have written that?!' Other times I hit a flag and say, 'Yes, that's exactly how I want that written.' I want to write something that engages the reader, and I'd personally like to reach as many readers as possible, so why wouldn't I pay attention to the 'rules' that help me do just that? And I think different 'rules' are probably more or less important based on genre. If I'm writing something geared to adventure-loving 8 year olds who would rather be out playing rugby, I'd damn well better show, not tell, or they won't read it. On the other hand, maybe adverbs are more acceptable for that audience, who may not understand the subtlety of showing complex emotions.

Anyway, I liked what Wendigo had to say, and I also pay attention to the rules. I choose to have my cake and eat it, too.
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Very well said! I agree 100%.

 

[Tim James]

Here's a thought.
Can anyone name a famous author and book that adheres to ALL the "rules", ALL the time?
Maybe it's because the authors break the "rules" that the books they produce are more memorable.

 

[Quillwitch]

Here's a thought.
Can anyone name a famous author and book that adheres to ALL the "rules", ALL the time?
Maybe it's because the authors break the "rules" that the books they produce are more memorable.

My thoughts exactly!!

 

[Andrew F]

I didn't know of him till now but his blog is very entertaining.

The historical novelist Emma Darwin has a great creative writing blog too at This Itch of Writing: the blog I recommend her 'tool kit' in particular.

 

[Quillwitch]

I didn't know of him till now but his blog is very entertaining.

The historical novelist Emma Darwin has a great creative writing blog too at This Itch of Writing: the blog I recommend her 'tool kit' in particular.

I know her, I follow her too. Very interesting blog as well--complete opposite!