Be Deliberate
The term Rules used in the below post really means guidelines but we're taught that they're rules, thus that's the word I use. In reference to breaking them, I mean departing from the standards we're taught :-)
Rules are fun to break, but there's two things we must know before we break them.
1) What are the rules?
2) Why are we breaking them?
As I've been reading contest entries, a commonality stood out to me. The overuse of exclamation points. I'd forgotten how much we writers love that bit of punctuation. And so when I was reading a very good book, I noticed immediately when the author used exclamation points in three consecutive sentences.
I thought to myself: Now that's Voice. That author knows exactly what she's doing, and why.
When we write, we must be deliberate. Every word, every character, every action, every scene must have a purpose to the story. It is up to us to discover what that purpose is. It is up to us to decide how to use the rules to make our story most effective.
Have you broken any rules in your current WIP? If so, why? Leave an example, if you'd like. :-)
Rules are fun to break, but there's two things we must know before we break them.
1) What are the rules?
2) Why are we breaking them?
As I've been reading contest entries, a commonality stood out to me. The overuse of exclamation points. I'd forgotten how much we writers love that bit of punctuation. And so when I was reading a very good book, I noticed immediately when the author used exclamation points in three consecutive sentences.
I thought to myself: Now that's Voice. That author knows exactly what she's doing, and why.
When we write, we must be deliberate. Every word, every character, every action, every scene must have a purpose to the story. It is up to us to discover what that purpose is. It is up to us to decide how to use the rules to make our story most effective.
Have you broken any rules in your current WIP? If so, why? Leave an example, if you'd like. :-)
Comments
*cue the scary music*
LOL--it HAD to be done though. :)
Jennifer! Ha, if that's breaking a rule than I'm a star rulebreaker. *grin* I love pov switches and have to work hard to restrain myself.
Hugs :O)
I noticed quite a few !!!!!'s in contest entries this year, too.
~ Wendy
Hang the code, and hang the rules. They're more like guidelines anyway. Argh!
Hee.
And I'm with Katie. Exclamation points are fun to use in blog comments!
Terri...STOP! You know the rules inside and out, I bet, so now it's time to use your Voice and let the words rip, rules or no rules. :-)
Oooh, Linda, so you're an italics queen? That's funny. ;-)
That's right, Diane! NO ellipses allowed. Well, maybe one per scene, but that's IT. *grin*
No, not you Erica! I can't believe it of you. LOL
Anita, you got it, girl! :)
Keli, I think you've hit on something about the story sounding flat. A new blog post is percolating, thanks to you...:-)
I'm with you on the exclamation marks, girl. When they are used deliberately, as opposed to all the time, they are very powerful and you really feel the WOW factor they are meant to offer. All too often they are very overused in unpubbed work, though, I agree.
To me, it seems to work so for now, I'm sticking with it.
Good to find you through Anita's blog and look forward to following your posts
warm wishes
Debbie
x
Shh, don't tell anyone. I used a flashback in my first book. The device provided some high drama for a tense situation.
Blessings,
Susan :)
I often use fragments in my writing, even though it's a no-no. As with the book you're judging, it's part of my voice.
Makes me sound like me.
Karen, yep, you're so right. I usually forget to be deliberate. *grin*
Susan, you NAUGHTY writer!! *grin*
Good for you, Tamika!! ;-)
Whoooo, Jessica, you said a very bad P word. LOL But I agree with you, actually. :-)
I like adverbs, in spite of all the cautions against using them, so apply them liberally - at least in my first drafts. :-)
*hangs head in shame*
I love them.
I also love prologues so what can I say. I'm just a mess I guess. Funny, because in life I'm not a rule-breaker. I guess it's just my fiction-writer's heart that's rebellious.
As usual, I'm late stopping by, Jessica, but at least today it's good because I can congratulate you!
Hey Mary, thanks for the congrats! And you're never late. I only post once a week so comments all week are cool with me. LOL
Thanks Nancy!!!
I break the rules by using fragments. But you're right, everything needs to be deliberate!
Also, I wanted to stop by and congratulate you on being a finalist in the G. contest. Good job!
-Mel