Rules are Made to be Broken

There are those who say there are no rules to writing. This argument is usually based on the individual who breaks the rules and succeeds. e.e. cummings pops immediately into my mind. The truth is that there are exceptions to every “rule”.

Exceptions don’t negate the rules of good writing. Those who break the rules in the course of successful careers know the rules better than most. It is because they know the rules so well that they can make the exception work for them. Breaking the rules, cannot disguise these writers’ love and respect for the language and the power of words.

The beginning writer who deals in fragments and rambles in run-ons isn’t innovative. Breaking the rules isn’t the path to adding drama, personal style, or voice, it’s ignorance or disrespect to the craft. Their instructors know it, their mentors know it, and their readers know it.

Solomon in a flash of inspired wisdom wrote, “He is in the way of life that keeps instruction, but he that refuses reproof errs.” The rules of writing aren’t arbitrary constructs of oppression written to stifle self-expression. They are tokens of the work invested by the writer.

The greatest disservice of the vanity press, the reviews of friends and family, and many freelance editors is the pat on the back given in place of correction. I know writers who were simply crushed by a “bad” review. No one likes their shortcomings exposed even when the criticism is valid. The writer who refuses to hear it and learn from it doesn’t care about the quality of his work. He will continue to serve up the same mistakes.

Writing a book and having it published is something to be celebrated. Neither guarantees the writer knows anything about writing. Perhaps volume doesn’t either. It seems the longer I write the less satisfied I am with my writing. That’s strange because the first couple of books I wrote were masterpieces.

I’m trusting Solomon and hoping that heeding instruction will lead to life as a writer.

Jack LaFountain

Author of Trails of Trouble