by Lisa H Warren

Created on: January 13, 2009

"The" truth about writing rules is that a writer must have a solid grasp of them. "My" truth about writing rules is that they are sometimes best broken. Whether or not I actually have any right to establish my own truth is something of which even I am not entirely sure. Still, I've often found that it is when I've broken the occasional writing rule that what I've written is most well received.

This is not to say that I am opposed to good grammar (to the contrary, I have always had a very deep appreciation for the ways the "building blocks" of the written word can be perfectly and systematically connected, resulting in an "architecture" of precision and perfect order). No, I continue to have that extremely deep appreciation for the precision and effectiveness of good grammar. Good writing cannot exist without the writer's having a solid understanding of good grammar. Good grammar, however, will never be enough to assure that the writing will be considered, "great writing".

Beyond just a good understanding of grammar, of course, there are also rules that are specific to producing written material. While grammar rules may be the "building blocks" of the written word, writing rules could be considered "the glue" that holds those blocks together. Writing rules could also be compared to a foundation or a blue print. The point is they are a separate set of rules from grammar rules. When a writer has a solid grasp of both sets of rules the result is generally a piece of writing that would be considered, "good writing".

Most of us, however, are aware of at least a few pieces of music or art that stand out because the artist chose to break away (at least a little) from conventional rules, and create something particularly unique. It isn't just in the area of music or painting that creativity sometimes breaks away from conventional rules. The same thing can happen with theatre, dance, "The Big Screen", or any number of other creative endeavors. Artists who break the rules generally need to have an understanding of them in the first place, and also have confidence enough to break away from them a little. While there is no doubt that rule-breaking can result in something that would be simply be considered, "bad"; there are those times when the artist discovers he has created something that has managed to perfectly convey what it is he had hoped it would.

As writers, we can't write with the idea of hoping to create something "great". Neither would it be the least bit advisable

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>