Ignoring the Sacred Rules of Writing

There are several things we learn in English as we grow up in school that  follow us into adulthood. There are things like never begin a sentence with the word but or and. Also, try not to over use the word and. All these are still very common sins we make, but we know we are not supposed to.

             

 If you’ve ever taken a writing course or workshop they encourage you to expand your vocabulary. Using words like frenetic, intoned, and queried if these are not usual words in you’re writing style throughout the book then you make it sound as if you hit the thesaurus to make you and your book sound smarter (which you probably did). So, keeping words that are common to your writing style and characters personality is probably essential to the style.

              
Try not to begin your story with an alarm clock going off, or end the book with something like a large explosion. If you’re wanting to build suspense for the next book there are better ways of doing this than ending the book with a suicide note.

I am also about to tell you to break the most cardinal rule of writing and they will probably shut down our blog. Don’t write what you know. The stigma that you must write about what you know and what has happened to you held me back for years as all my writing teachers told this mantra. I doubt Stephanie Meyers knew about vampires since Twilight came to here in a dream. Alternatively, Cassandra Clare knew about demons and angels growing up.

Our experiences help us to form our characters since they are such a large part of us in our books. This does not mean however that we are the book, because many people read to escape and to enjoy different experiences that they would never otherwise have in life. So, expand what you know, take experiences from your life, and let your imagination take you to the very limits that you can push. Then read your draft and push the limits some more, J.R. Tolken was stuck in the fox holes of World Word I and this is when he began writing the Hobbit and his whole world of Lord of the Rings. So do not allow yourself to be limited by sticking to just your everyday experiences but rather use them to push your book further. Your imagination is the limit.

-Elsha Fornefeld

The Journey of Writing - Guest Blogger Anne Bruns

Anne Bruns

Writing is a journey with no set course. As a writer, you feel everything your story wants to tell and anything you want the reader to feel. It’s hard work but the satisfaction of a finished page is what brings us back to our laptops and notepads each day. Two of my favorite lessons learned while studying in college was to write what you know and that the more you read, the better you will write. 

 When we write what we know we bring depth to the story. A writer doesn’t always have the time or means to research a topic before writing and those that haven’t will produce work that doesn’t stand.  Stick to what you know. Bring the experiences of your life, those around you and the vivid dreams while you were sleeping to the paper each day. Your work will grow and be filled with something real and solid. Create people in your books, not characters. Anyone can create a character. A great writer will bring them to life so well that their readers will want them as friends, lovers and confidants.

Reading creates better writers. The more you read the better you will write. Expand your genres and read something you would never dare. The words you read will forever be placed in your mind and your imagination and vocabulary will grow. You will discover within yourself exactly who your voice is as you read the various styles of writing. Read, read, read then write, write, write. 

Printing the last page of your manuscript is really just the beginning. We all hold our stories close and feel that they are truly a work of art, but even the greatest piece of art goes thru a stage of defining. An editor can be your greatest tool while completing your work. They look at every detail of character development, storyline and polish the focus that the writer has intended the reader to have.  An editor will help turn your good story into a great book. 

Take your idea, the one burning images in your mind and begging to be told, and write it down. You have a story to be written and a voice to be heard. Writing is a journey worth sharing.

Anne Bruns is a writer and freelance editor. She has worked for several publishers as a copy writer and editor, acquisitions editor and evaluated manuscripts. Besides guiding authors to create their best work, she is currently working on her own novel. She resides in Utah with her husband and three children.

Do you have a question for Anne? Ask away in our comment section below.  Anne is listed on our Author Resources page as a trusted and recommended editor - click here for more details.

Your Journey As a Writer

Lindsey Rietzsch

At the age of eight I developed an interest in writing. It was my third grade teacher who discovered that I had an ability to write and because of her I became excited about it. I remember the poem that I wrote which caught her eye was a poem about Rip Van Winkle the man that slept for 100 years. I remember rhyming about the silly details of his experience such as “worms crawling in his nose and mushrooms sprouting between his toes”. She was so amused by it she sent me around the school to read it to the other classes. I remember after that, my grandma, my parents and any adult that heard my poem laughed so hard I thought they’d kill over. Never before had I evoked such a reaction from anyone. I really enjoyed it.

As time went on, I grew to love writing. Entering contests, winning awards, and even using it as therapy! Upon entering junior high I really needed an outlet for all the stress, changes and fear that I was experiencing. I found that writing about my feelings was a way to let them out and help me deal with my challenges. Though I seldom shared them with anyone other than my best friend, I found that the more I wrote and the more I shared the better my writing abilities became and the more I enjoyed it. 

Then during my junior year in high school I anxiously enrolled in a creative writing class at school. I thought for sure that this would be an easy A - but how wrong I was. For the first time I had encountered a teacher who did not see any talent in my writing. I experienced C’s and B-'s; paper after paper. He continued to make suggestions and told me that if I changed my writing to meet his suggestions I could resubmit my writing for a better grade. I was deeply angered as I felt that my poems were becoming his poems. I’d rather settle for a bad grade than to represent work that was not mine. Needless to say that class took all of the fun and enjoyment out of writing and I came to the conclusion that I was no longer a good writer. I had lost my talent. 

At that point in my life I realized that writing was not going to get me anywhere in life and I decided to bury my talent. Occasionally for weddings and upon requests I would write. I even wrote lyrics to songs. However as I buckled down in my studies, became married and got lost in a full time job, I no longer found the time for writing and saw it as a waste of time as there were always more important things to do.

Clearly - that's not how my story ends. Along the way, one event after another, I was reminded why writing had once been so important to me and the passion came back!  It started with writing songs, in a journal, on blogs, and then came my first book. Just like that the door was wide open to several opportunities all from those initial baby steps. 

Are You a Good Enough Writer?

If you have questioned your ability as a writer because of unfortunate experiences it's completely normal, but as cliche as it sounds, the key to moving past that is believing in yourself. If you don't believe in yourself as a writer, no one else will. It's okay to take a break but don't quit all together. After all, the more you write the better you get.

Embrace criticism and feedback in all forms. Don't take it personal or you'll never make it as a writer. Just like art, good writing can sometimes vary from one opinion to another. Use it as a tool to better yourself on your journey. 

Becoming a Serious Writer

If writing has been a dream of yours, you need to establish your credibility. Whether you start with a journal or a blog - just get started. Eventually you can submit your writings to contests, magazines or become a guest writer for other blogs. Getting your foot in the door not only boosts your confidence but opens up doors for more opportunity to share your talent! One door always leads to another and before you know it you're an established writer and author.

So, where are you at in your writing journey? I'd love to hear.

- Lindsey Rietzsch