Man, I never realized people had such a ‘thing’ with rules! Okay, granted I’m not enamored by rules by any means. But even with my ‘personal code,’ I recognize there are ‘Rules’ and then there are ‘rules.’ I mean I follow the Rules – go the speed limit, do not speed. Of Course I Don’t speed! I don’t lie! Don’t cheat either. Don’t steal. Don’t kill. Okay so as a writer I might get around to that with a character or two – and No I’m not Telling, you’ll just have to wait and read! And no, don’t hold your breath. That’s not going to help you and really, I can’t see you. You might could tell me in the comments though. ;)
I believe in following rules like marriage vows and promises – and no, I did not promise to love, honor, obey, etc… We had ‘special’ vows. I mean really, did you expect anything less? Really? Just read my blog here. Uhm, okay, so maybe it should reflect my personality a bit more? Or not? ;)
I’m talking, or babbling depending on your view, about the previous blog post on writer’s rules link I posted. And just because something says ‘writer’ doesn’t mean it Couldn’t apply to others. Right?
So a friend sent me the link. And I definitely should mention here since another friend, thanks Denise, thought I had posted them all – since I had such a Long and wordy post, obviously I could use some work on editing. – and NO that’s only a Few of the ‘rules’ from the list.
So you should go and look at it yourself. Especially since obviously what stood out to me didn’t strike the same response in others.
Like Work-In-Progess blog write, Author Leslie Pietrzyk, posted –
Writing Rules, and Writing RULES!
Posted: 24 Feb 2010 06:36 AM PST
I love lists, and I love lists of writing “rules.” Taken with a grain of salt—(as one of my teachers used to say, “The only rule in writing is to be interesting”)—such pithy advice can offer guidance, open your mind, and sometimes speak exactly to a problem of the moment.
Here’s a great two-piece article in which Elmore Leonard offers his ten rules for writing, followed by more writers riffing on that list, adding their suggestions.
Just a quick sample of the range of advice:
Roddy Doyle: “Do not place a photograph of your favorite author on your desk, especially if the author is one of the famous ones who committed suicide.”
Anne Enright: “Only bad writers think that their work is really good.”
Richard Ford: “Try to think of others’ good luck as encouragement to yourself.”
(Thanks to Perpetual Folly for the link. And if these types of proscriptive lists make you crabby, you’ll be interested in the discussion over at The Elegant Variation.)
A Lot of people evidently have Very Strong Opinions on rules! Or 'rules' on rules. Zowie. I didn’t realize there would be so much ..uh, discussion…on it. I mean yeah, ‘Rules,’ but ‘rules’ – uhm, I can distinguish between the two. And choose on the ‘rules’ what I Might want to follow. Or not. [Remember I already told you I follow the ‘Rules’ like speed limit.] I am a drifter of those that aren’t ‘Rules’ just ‘rules.’ I guess I do think of the ones put in this list mere ‘suggestions’ rather than rules. They are interesting and thought-provoking perhaps but something I ‘have’ to follow… uh, Why? So I drifted them.
But this list provoked some definite reactions in some people. How about you?
What ‘rules’ of the list did you like? Dislike? Reacted strongly to?
You a rule follower, or a drifter?
I believe in following rules like marriage vows and promises – and no, I did not promise to love, honor, obey, etc… We had ‘special’ vows. I mean really, did you expect anything less? Really? Just read my blog here. Uhm, okay, so maybe it should reflect my personality a bit more? Or not? ;)
I’m talking, or babbling depending on your view, about the previous blog post on writer’s rules link I posted. And just because something says ‘writer’ doesn’t mean it Couldn’t apply to others. Right?
So a friend sent me the link. And I definitely should mention here since another friend, thanks Denise, thought I had posted them all – since I had such a Long and wordy post, obviously I could use some work on editing. – and NO that’s only a Few of the ‘rules’ from the list.
So you should go and look at it yourself. Especially since obviously what stood out to me didn’t strike the same response in others.
Like Work-In-Progess blog write, Author Leslie Pietrzyk, posted –
Writing Rules, and Writing RULES!
Posted: 24 Feb 2010 06:36 AM PST
I love lists, and I love lists of writing “rules.” Taken with a grain of salt—(as one of my teachers used to say, “The only rule in writing is to be interesting”)—such pithy advice can offer guidance, open your mind, and sometimes speak exactly to a problem of the moment.
Here’s a great two-piece article in which Elmore Leonard offers his ten rules for writing, followed by more writers riffing on that list, adding their suggestions.
Just a quick sample of the range of advice:
Roddy Doyle: “Do not place a photograph of your favorite author on your desk, especially if the author is one of the famous ones who committed suicide.”
Anne Enright: “Only bad writers think that their work is really good.”
Richard Ford: “Try to think of others’ good luck as encouragement to yourself.”
(Thanks to Perpetual Folly for the link. And if these types of proscriptive lists make you crabby, you’ll be interested in the discussion over at The Elegant Variation.)
A Lot of people evidently have Very Strong Opinions on rules! Or 'rules' on rules. Zowie. I didn’t realize there would be so much ..uh, discussion…on it. I mean yeah, ‘Rules,’ but ‘rules’ – uhm, I can distinguish between the two. And choose on the ‘rules’ what I Might want to follow. Or not. [Remember I already told you I follow the ‘Rules’ like speed limit.] I am a drifter of those that aren’t ‘Rules’ just ‘rules.’ I guess I do think of the ones put in this list mere ‘suggestions’ rather than rules. They are interesting and thought-provoking perhaps but something I ‘have’ to follow… uh, Why? So I drifted them.
But this list provoked some definite reactions in some people. How about you?
What ‘rules’ of the list did you like? Dislike? Reacted strongly to?
You a rule follower, or a drifter?
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