September 4th question – Since it’s back to school time, let’s talk English class. What’s a writing rule you learned in school that messed you up as a writer?
That’s an easy one! Complete sentences. (I love starting out with an example!) I discovered in elementary school that I was a writer. I LOVED playing with words. And as much as teachers encouraged my prose, they frowned on breaking the rules. Especially, that complete sentences one. (See what I did there?). By fifth grade, and up through my English with Writing Emphasis honors degree, my papers were used as examples of vivid writing – and dodging the rules. I blame Batman. Pow! Bam! Biff! Nothing like a short, punchy exclamation to elevate the heart rate. Even in college, as an English major, my work was used (anonymously!) as examples of quality prose, but also for its rule breaking. Newspapers, both local and university, always wanted me to do feature interviewing for them, but I was too shy to make the person-to-person connection. Page-to-Person, now that was altogether different.
When I first published, the incomplete sentence continued to haunt me. I love me a one-word sentence. Boom. Attention grabbed. Copy editors jumped on them, but by the time I built a track record (and garnered a few awards), they let them slip through. Warning: Short, punchy sentences need those flowing, expository sisters to hang out with them for balance and emphasis. And flavor.
What rules have you bent or broken?
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!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. The awesome co-hosts for the September 4th posting of the IWSG will be are are Beth Camp, Jean Davis, Yvonne Ventresca, and PJ Colando!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
That's great that your writing was used as an example in school. And yes, you have to break the rule about writing complete sentences when writing fiction.
ReplyDeleteA rule MADE to e broken!!
DeleteLove those flowing, expository sisters! What would we do without them? Boom! Your post made me laugh as well as appreciate anew the many different paths we take as writers. Write on!
ReplyDeleteGlad to have lightened up your day!
DeleteI love being a writer. I hear it in your blog too, Nancy. We can break the rules and be adventurous. That's wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWhy I LOVE being a writer of fiction!!
DeleteSo true that the rules exist to be broken! Especially that one :D I understand why they made us learn about complete sentences, over-use of certain words (now I think about it, that one was a useful rule), etc. But we have to know when to break the rules!
ReplyDeleteBut first, yes we have to learn them to have the wisdom when to make that choice.
DeleteI do think it's important to learn rules before you break them. As your example, you need longer, flowery sentences to balance the short exclamations. Understanding how something is put together is imperative before breaking it down. I hated in theatre school how they were always telling us to be "brave" and "edgy" and to "break the rules" but they never told us what the frickin' rules were in the first place!
ReplyDeleteLOL!!
DeleteMy answer was the same. Complete sentences are overrated. Passé. Boring, even.
ReplyDeleteShort sentence = big impact!
DeleteI love writing those short, choppy sentences. You're right about needing the flowing expositions for balance. Also, to make the short ones stand out.;
ReplyDeleteShe who breaks the rules should be my superhero name!
DeleteSo true about complete sentences. Loved your examples, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne (sorry for the late reply!)
DeleteThe main rule I broke was to have a female protagonist in a murder mystery series. Critiques that the character needed to be more macho (thinking it was a male character) always irked me. Now it is common practice.
ReplyDeletehttps://gail-baugniet.blogspot.com/
Surprise surprise! Sometimes those changes ARE for the better!!
DeleteI love the short punchy sentences too. Everything in moderation, of course. But yes, they are so much fun to use for impact.
ReplyDeleteI'm Batman!! Pow!
DeleteLearning the power of varied sentence length was game-changing for me. It works even in academic writing where you have to use complete sentences. You can use short ones for emphasis, and it's quite effective.
ReplyDelete