Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
And we’re revving up IWSG Day to make it more fun and interactive! Every month, we'll announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
January 4 Question: What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?
LOL - a LOT of them!!!
Almost any rule that says "HAVE TO" drives me nuts.
You have to write every day
You have to include description
You have to tell readers the MC's hair colour
You have to plot
You have to follow your gut
You have to ...
I love to learn and I'm always willing to try something new, so I'm willing to try anything.
Over the last few years, I've learned a lot, but I've also spent a lot of time on trying out new 'rules' that don't work for my brain or my life. On the plus side, I now know a lot of things that DON'T work for me, so it's definitely not wasted time.
How about you? Do the Have Tos drive you crazy as well? Are you an experimenter as well?
New rules that don't work for your brain - that is a great way to describe some of them.
ReplyDeleteHappy 2017, Jemi!
Thanks, Alex! Same to you :)
DeleteHappy New Year, Jemi!
ReplyDeleteI can only say amen to your first sentence, almost any have-to rule drives me nut! You summed it up nicely, Follow your Gut!!!
Great!
All the best for 2017.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat Garcia
Thanks Pat! Educating the gut and then following it = Plan A! :)
Delete"Show,Don't Tell" was annoying because I kept getting it in rejection letters at the start of my writing career and no agent ever linked to any helpful info!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the 'have tos'!
Happy New Year. :)
Finding info on HOW to do things is so important!!
DeleteCompletely agree with you about those have-to's. It's one thing to offer a suggestion, but to insist it's the only way to do something is just wrong. People have done that to me in the past, and it never fails to be beyond grating...
ReplyDeleteIt does!! I think most creative types don't fit into too many 'have-to' niches!
DeleteWho says we have to? Just break all those stupid rules.
ReplyDeleteLOL - once I know why they exist and how to manipulate them, I do exactly that! :)
DeleteI think it's good to know the rules, but we don't always have to follow them. A good writer knows when to break those rules to best effect.
ReplyDeleteThat's it exactly!!!!
DeleteI agree with you and Marcie on writing rules. And what Diane says too! Glad you're figuring out what works for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Natalie - it's a slow process at times, but lots of fun learning along the way!!
DeleteFollowing your gut is actually a really good rule. If you're not sure, follow your gut. I do that all the time with my writing.
ReplyDeleteI always say that writing rules aren't law. :)
That's a really important one - just have to make sure my gut is educated! :P
DeleteAgreed :)
ReplyDeleteLOL. Most of them are suggestions, but you should at least LEARN each one and the WHY behind them. Beyond that, there are few actual "rules."
ReplyDeleteThat's my philosophy - learn and find out the why and the why not, then make the decisions! :)
DeleteYou are so right. And read any successful, famous writer's work and you'll find them breaking all the rules.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true! But, they're usually judicious about the when and the how and the why! :)
DeleteTo me a 'have to' rule tends to curb your imagination and creativity. Figuring out what works best for you is the way to go. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Mason! Hope 2017 is good to you!! :)
DeleteThere are so many. Rules, guidelines, methods, dos and don'ts. Sometimes it's easier to just write and sort it out later. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a plan right up this pantsers alley! :)
DeleteThere are no 'have to's in those rules. None in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Jemi
That works for me!!!
DeleteHave a great 2017!
I think a lot of a writer's voice depends upon which rules they decide to follow and which they don't. Do whatever feels best for you.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true! I'm all about the sentence fragments!! :)
DeleteBoo to have to's. How many books that we love have tossed so many of those little buggers out the window? Writers are artists - tools of the trade are valuable, subjective rules...not so much. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteAgreed!! Learning the ropes is one thing - being a crazy rule follower is another! :)
DeleteI believe writer's have gone beyond the basic rules. Some are essential, but many writer's are thinking outside of the box.
ReplyDeleteGood Post.
Happy New Year!
Going outside that box is essential!
DeleteYeah, pretty much any rule that includes "always" or "never" goes in the out group.
ReplyDeleteYep! Not a big fan :)
DeleteRules are made to be broken to my way of thinking!
ReplyDeleteThey sure are!! :)
DeleteHey Jemi!
ReplyDeleteOne moment please as I adjust my toque, eh!
For goodness sake, "IWSG" aka "I Was Seeking Gary!" :)
I'm a grammar anarchist. All supposed rules about writing are like totally ignored by me.
Have good 2017, eh!
Penny's fictional character,
Gary
Ignoring them all seems to be working very well for you! :)
DeleteHi Jemi!
ReplyDeleteWriting rules and made for writers to learn, understand and to know when and where to break them.
NRB - I like that attitude!!! Going to adopt it :)
DeleteI have had rules that I was taught when I was growing up, that I have found out were wrong and have had to learn the "right" rule. That has been frustrating at times, but I love to learn and luckily I tend to learn from my mistakes. :) I can understand not liking the "writers have to..." rules.
ReplyDelete~Jess
~Jess
I agree - I actually like knowing the rules, just like knowing I can break 'em too! :)
DeleteGreat post, Jemi! Yes, learning all the rules and remembering them are so hard :)
ReplyDeleteAgreed! :)
DeleteI guess I'm not a great rule follower. If there are any rules I don't like, I just try something else! And what works for me has changed over the years.
ReplyDeleteThat works for me! :)
Delete