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Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Begin the year with IWSG!


A brand new year, and new breezes in the writing world. What a fresh IWSG!

This is a monthly blog hop created by the super stealthy and amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh. Writers are a species of their own and often misunderstood. This hop offers a safe place to seek support or offer it to others.

Go ahead and head on over here to find out more or jump on board!


This month, I'm charging into the world of writing with fresh inspiration and determination! Who knows what this year will hold, but either way, let's tackle it. Go! Go! Go!


And now, on to this month's question:

What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?

Does the answer 'all of them' count???

I see many of the so-called rules more like this . . .



They have their importance and shouldn't be ignored. But to hold them as the last and only cornerstones of writing is going a bit too far.

Should we keep the rules in mind? Yes.
Does following them, in general, make for better writing? Yes.
Are they the one, only and absolute way? Often but not always. 

There are times when the rules aren't the best choice. It doesn't happen often, but it can.  

Still, just like a pirate battling the way through the waves and canon fire, knowing when it's worth the risk to ignore certain rules is a wisdom gained with tons of rum and experience. Oh, and don't forget a dash of pirate's luck! Get it wrong, and the ship goes down. But so is life on the vast, free seas!

(Maybe I'm having a little bit too much of that salty fun *pirate growl*)


So what about you?
What rule would you like to see walk the plank?


15 comments:

  1. I think you're totally right, rules are important but it's also important not to get too bogged down in doing everything the "right" way. Guidelines is a good way to see them :)

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  2. Love the positive attitude! I'm with you - go, go, go! :)

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  3. I love that movie! With rules, I'm a read them, then forget them kind of person. The only way the good stuff will stick is with practice anyway. The last thing anyone needs to be thinking about when drafting is done "rule" anyway. I'm have a pirate mindset when it comes to writing.

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  4. You're right. We should always keep writing rules in mind while creating. They're important and keep stability to our writing world. Saying that, they also have their place and it doesn't hurt to challenge some of them now and again. 😊

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  5. Can you imagine writing something that held fast to every rule? It would be unreadable.
    Happy 2017!

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  6. Arrr! Savvy? When you're in a real creative streak while actually writing, writing rules go out the window just the slightest bit. At least for first drafts. At least for me :-)

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  7. I completely agree with you, but I've become a real pirate! The more I write, the more I cheerfully break all the rules now! (Except for passive verbs and head-hopping. I try hard not to do those.)

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  8. The rules are guidelines, but breaking them can be a guilty pleasure too. Just make sure your readers benefit and it's all good.

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  9. Pirate Tonja you give some great advice. Arrr! You have been checked by your friendly monthly co-host.

    QueendSheena
    2017 IWSG January Co-Host

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  10. I've read many excellent books where writing rules aren't being followed. I'd like to regard "writing rules" as merely suggestions.

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  11. Love your "all of them" answer. I second that. :D

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  12. Can I just second everything you said? I wholeheartedly agree--and have been spouting the same response about the interwebs.

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  13. I think more people should consider rules more like guidelines. :)

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  14. I agree. Everyone needs to find the approach that best works, and sometimes that means we don't follow the same rules.

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  15. Wholly agreed. ^_^ I'm glad when a piece of writing advice connects with me and I find it useful, but I have no trouble completely disregarding advice that doesn't work for me.

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