tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post2248034814997435549..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Rules, Schmules: Don't Follow the Rules, Tell a Great Story Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-50655841271022575882012-10-24T08:15:41.679-04:002012-10-24T08:15:41.679-04:00Karen, I saw that article (forget who myself) and ...Karen, I saw that article (forget who myself) and that IS a great line. Monitor-worthy and a must for every first draft. <br /><br />Anne, absolutely! Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-85187349178245076672012-10-21T18:03:18.611-04:002012-10-21T18:03:18.611-04:00Love this post! Some of the most repeated "ru...Love this post! Some of the most repeated "rules" are the most useless. They're often based on a basic misunderstanding of what makes compelling prose. Or simply fashion. Trendy writing isn't necessarily good writing. Lead rather than follow!Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73722234201310047052012-10-21T10:53:29.022-04:002012-10-21T10:53:29.022-04:00Great post! Someone recently told me that you can ...Great post! Someone recently told me that you can write coal...because after all -- where do diamonds come from? I think it is critical to most of our creative minds to let go of the rules and let the story flow. Get it out of your head and onto the page... then take the rules (with a grain of salt) and edit. Thanks!Karen S. Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17116824802269613088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-58773047794072653882012-10-17T07:51:30.552-04:002012-10-17T07:51:30.552-04:00Suzanne, lol. So glad I've been able to help :...Suzanne, lol. So glad I've been able to help :) You just made my morning.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-71078751322401347962012-10-16T21:31:38.195-04:002012-10-16T21:31:38.195-04:00You're welcome. I should give you a byline in ...You're welcome. I should give you a byline in the acknowledgements of my next book. Ha. I think I've learned more about writing from your page than anywhere else.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01899031495802835361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-82478106686042771762012-10-16T21:31:01.598-04:002012-10-16T21:31:01.598-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01899031495802835361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-78457180377013399022012-10-16T08:10:09.573-04:002012-10-16T08:10:09.573-04:00Suzanne, thanks! Good for you for sticking to your...Suzanne, thanks! Good for you for sticking to your principles. :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-85671006160534615292012-10-08T21:04:25.980-04:002012-10-08T21:04:25.980-04:00Amen. Amen. and Amen. I had an editor cut a story ...Amen. Amen. and Amen. I had an editor cut a story up because she said, "We don't do this anymore" and "We don't do that anymore." I very politely told her I don't always do what "they" suggest. Love your column!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01899031495802835361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-9178341305892586452012-10-02T09:10:51.743-04:002012-10-02T09:10:51.743-04:00Jo, great comment! That sums it up nicely.
Raewyn...Jo, great comment! That sums it up nicely.<br /><br />Raewyn, that works :) When I was starting out, I would take one rule and work on that until I felt comfortable with it and understood it. Then I'd move on to the next. That helped keep me from getting overwhelmed with so many things to worry about. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-34263875815498298172012-10-01T23:13:07.910-04:002012-10-01T23:13:07.910-04:00Thanks for covering this issue - I was so encourag...Thanks for covering this issue - I was so encouraged. I'm at the beginning of the learning curve and sometimes find the rules so overwhelming I'm too paralysed to write.<br /><br />So I'm going with the tell the great story approach - and then go back and check how many rules I've broken...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15380202410896276712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-81287849730580831432012-09-28T06:14:49.042-04:002012-09-28T06:14:49.042-04:00Brilliant post.
I was at a workshop recently wher...Brilliant post.<br /><br />I was at a workshop recently where the author gave similar advice. She said: There are no rules in writing, there are only conventions. The more you understand the conventions, the more you'll understand how and when to be unconventional.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67135033050272662932012-09-27T16:26:52.523-04:002012-09-27T16:26:52.523-04:00Ken, that's exactly why I wrote this post. The...Ken, that's exactly why I wrote this post. The information and lessons in those rules are good to know and learn, but when they distract you from the story they become un-helpful instead.<br /><br />Tracy, absolutely. I'm a firm believer in trusting your gut. <br /><br />Gene, totally agree with those three rules. Great comments. (and thanks!)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-28772472921530052532012-09-27T16:09:14.057-04:002012-09-27T16:09:14.057-04:00I love this post. I've read a ton of craft boo...I love this post. I've read a ton of craft books, blogs, ancient writing tips scribbled on the side of lost Mayan temples (maybe not...but I bet there is some) and here are the only three pieces of writing advice that actually matter.<br /><br />1) Write a lot.<br />2) Do what works best for you.<br />3) The story matters more than all other factors combined.<br /><br />All the rest - adverbs, tags, to prologue or not to prologue - those are all great for Editing/Revision. Trying to fix something that's not working. Apply them too soon or not needed and it is like pounding nails into a wall without reason.<br /><br />I think the most difficult part for a new writer is finding the methodology they will use for writing. Sifting through the rules, styles and advice deluge only to realize that they probably knew and were doing the 3 Things above at the beginning.<br /><br />And this post - great advice and one of the reasons why this is still one of my favorite places to stop for innovative thinking on writing.<br /><br />Thanks, Janice.Gene Lempphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12727333127421301209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-36739903070295565012012-09-27T12:44:48.946-04:002012-09-27T12:44:48.946-04:00I follow the rules as best I can based on your awe...I follow the rules as best I can based on your awesome writing advice. But it still comes down to voice and story. I say, also listen to your gut. If it doesn't sound right, out it goes.<br />Thanks, JaniceTracy Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11829493307148654507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-53127066138880830342012-09-27T11:41:44.651-04:002012-09-27T11:41:44.651-04:00This post is a breath of fresh air. As a newbie w...This post is a breath of fresh air. As a newbie writer, I find myself spending so much time trying to follow the rules that my voice often gets lost. <br /><br />It's not as though I want to ignor the rules. Following them has helped my story quite a bit, but only up to a point. When I end up stressing for hours over whether a paragraph has too much telling, or whether I can use "was" or not - that's what kills my progress. Chemist Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09738272332470397248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-36764960769705055682012-09-27T09:35:47.231-04:002012-09-27T09:35:47.231-04:00Kathie S, ooo yeah, that's a tough one. Bottom...Kathie S, ooo yeah, that's a tough one. Bottom line, does that prologue dream sequence work to grab the reader and draw them into the story? Does it transition well into the first chapter? In essence, does it work? If so, you're probably fine. If not, then you might reconsider. Beta readers can help there, especially those who don't know the story already.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-2722270745634041922012-09-27T09:21:05.249-04:002012-09-27T09:21:05.249-04:00Rules about craft--like the adverbs or passive voi...Rules about craft--like the adverbs or passive voice or such--they've never bothered me much because I'm very auditory. I tend to go with what sounds good rather than what "follows the rules." (Not saying my Craft doesn't need a bit of work, but getting the story down comes first.)<br /><br />Now, Plot rules really get at me sometimes. My first real project which has been going on and off for a while is a fantasy story which begins with a dream sequence which is set aside in a prologue. And from where I'm standing those seem to be the two biggest taboos people talk about. Now, I think it's the right place to start, and that it has enough of a disconnect from the next scene to be set off in it's own section. But sometimes it's hard listening to every set of advice about openings include "Don't do a prologue!" "And Never ever start with a dream!" Kathie S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06361735751092314688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-68308747182605196742012-09-27T07:19:59.972-04:002012-09-27T07:19:59.972-04:00Natalie, exactly. What best serves the story is us...Natalie, exactly. What best serves the story is usually the right way to go.<br /><br />Marilynn, indeed. Know what you're doing before you break the rules. Just as important as not blindly following them without understanding them. Great tip about using them in the rewrite stage. First drafts are allowed to be messy.<br /><br />BHJ, well said.<br /><br />Bozobuttons, that "flash forward" is one of those bad rules I mentioned. Somewhere out there people advise dragging that exciting scene forward and it's never a good idea. I've seen enough authors do it I doubt it's a publisher thing. <br /><br />Cindy, we do crazy things to avoid breaking a rule like that. I always tryst me ear. If it sounds best doing what the rules say not to, I ignore the rule. <br /><br />Dario, our conversation the other day inspired this post :)<br /><br />Tan Lee, thanks! Be true to your writing voice, learn your craft, use it well, but don't feel you have to follow a set of rules to succeed. <br /><br />Jo, learning the craft is important no matter what level you're at, but the key word is learning. Understand why you do certain things and those rules won't be a big deal because you won't be doing the things they're trying to avoid. (Did that make any sense? lol)<br /><br />Not a novice at all. The backstory rule is one I hear agent Donald Maass use a lot. He might have started that one :)<br /><br />Julie, not at all! Write the story you want to tell, then worry about the technical stuff and what needs to be polished to make the story better.<br /><br />Deberlene, indeed. Rules are there to help us tell better stories, not templates to be filled out.<br /><br />Traci, most welcome!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-5356917316966121232012-09-27T05:43:42.880-04:002012-09-27T05:43:42.880-04:00Never have I heard it put so plainly!! It is the s...Never have I heard it put so plainly!! It is the story that matters, thank you!!Traci Kenworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07336373871521363649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-53529454541551089342012-09-27T00:29:11.514-04:002012-09-27T00:29:11.514-04:00Yep! Sometimes you just have to write the damn thi...Yep! Sometimes you just have to write the damn thing, and if it's not working THEN put your efforts into working out why and how to fix it. But there is certainly room for the right adjective. Opening with dialogue - so long as your readers don't get lost - can be a very powerful method, and sometimes backstory is exactly what readers need to know in order to feel the required sympathy for the MC. I agree with Mac above ( or Elmore Leonard, as I'm fairly certain he said it, too) - leave out the bits people will skip over and you're on to a winner.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-15827586561426932712012-09-26T23:53:53.271-04:002012-09-26T23:53:53.271-04:00You know, this is such great advice. Too often I g...You know, this is such great advice. Too often I get bogged down in all the things I should do! Not great for the creative side :/Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-40171107692669410582012-09-26T20:34:55.954-04:002012-09-26T20:34:55.954-04:00Great advice, Janice. My sense is that as a novice...Great advice, Janice. My sense is that as a novice, you need to start with lots of writng practice adhering to the rules,and only once you have mastered them can you get a sense of when and how it's not just ok, but wonderful to break 'em. and to read lots of authors who not just break the rules, but smash them magnificently.<br /><br />Having said that, I must be a real novice, because I've never even heard of the no-backstory-for-the-first-fifty-pages rule.Jo-Ann Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18027989147411624378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-60663774566115684792012-09-26T20:02:03.599-04:002012-09-26T20:02:03.599-04:00Thanks Janice. As an unpublished writer I really (...Thanks Janice. As an unpublished writer I really (lol adverb) needed to hear this. Your blog is awesome.tan leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05223640707802383930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-89296204872453084142012-09-26T18:57:52.833-04:002012-09-26T18:57:52.833-04:00Excellent post, Janice, and excellent additional c...Excellent post, Janice, and excellent additional comments from John. I've been ranting against this same dogma myself.<br /><br />DarioAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-54665934278573220742012-09-26T18:56:47.607-04:002012-09-26T18:56:47.607-04:00Great advice. I had a writer friend who hated &quo...Great advice. I had a writer friend who hated "was/were". Sure, overusing them means you might be missing opportunities to use better words, but she created some awkward sentences in her attempts to avoid them.Cindy Dwyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13143279929486216901noreply@blogger.com