March 11, 2024
What rules of writing do you break on purpose?
You can guess the easy ones.
Ending a sentence with a preposition is out!
Never start a sentence with an ‘ing’ word.
Never use too many exclamation points!!!
Never start three or more sentences in a row with the same word.
I am careful about several of these. The ‘too many exclamation points’ is a personal grievance. I limit myself to using them in dialogue, and even then I use as few as possible. I stop and consider each one I type. When I read others’ writing, their heavy use decreases my reading enjoyment.
But there are times when a writer breaks the rules to make a point and speak in their own ‘voice.’. For example, my use of “Never” at the beginning of this piece. The built-in WordPress tools kindly reminded me I shouldn’t start three sentences in a row with the same word. I don’t know how to tell the tool-“Yes, I know. Now go away.”
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
The most frequent place I flaunt the rules is in dialogue. When writing my characters. I strive to make them sound like people in real life. The people I run into in the store or at an event. Or the ones I overheard in a restaurant. (Yes, using sentence fragments is breaking the rules.) Even then, I have to be careful. I don’t want my librarian with several college degrees to sound like she never made it past kindergarten. Real people don’t always talk the way the rules dictate, much to the dismay of teachers everywhere.
Which rules do I break on purpose?
Any of them. It depends if straying from the mandate suits the story, the character, and the plot. We also need to consider that the rules of grammar change as language changes. It’s no longer the rules to have two spaces between sentences, at least according to U.S. grammar. And think about all the words that have been introduced in languages based on new technology, let alone the rules that are being formulated to deal with texting and other forms of on-lime communication. I’m old enough to have witnessed the shift in language—social media didn’t exist when I was a young ‘un.
What rules do the other writers this hop break? Find out by following the links below.
As always, until next time, please stay safe.
March 11, 2024
What rules of writing do you break on purpose?
I like two spaces between sentences, and so I always do this. One space makes the text look too cramped. All these rules are probably a matter of personal opininon.
In the mid 1980s, I found an old book that documented the two spaces in business correspondence. It had something to do with old manual typewriters. Now grammar checkers will scold you about it.
I’ll have to be scolded, lol. I just prefer two spaces.
LOL
Opinion, lol.
You said – The built-in WordPress tools kindly reminded me I shouldn’t start three sentences in a row with the same word. I don’t know how to tell the tool-“Yes, I know. Now go away.” Oh how I agree with that. But my comment would be slightly less polite than yours.
At least Prowritingaid lets me click ignore.
Kindergarten onwards, saying, let alone writing ‘different too’ was a crime, and very likely, a tenth circle punishment would follow, or at least, too much red ink. Different from, as our teachers snarled.
Who says It is I ? Hamlet the Dane, and who else ?
Beyond grammarly niggles, never start a novel with the weather…