Time Is On Our Side…And So Are The Rules

In the context of writing a novel, raise your hand if you’ve ever heard:

• Stay away from adverbs.
• Stay away from the passive voice.
• Show, don’t tell.
• Limit the use of tag lines.
• Only use “said” as a tag line.
• Better yet, don’t use tag lines at all—just action beats.

Now, how about these:

• Don’t use exclamation points.
• Limit the use of adjectives.
• Only two prepositions per sentence.
• Never have two prepositional sentences side by side.
• Beware the dangling modifier.

Are you overwhelmed yet? I’ve only just scraped the surface when it comes to rules and the written word (novel-wise).

But before you go away frustrated and dismayed, maybe take a closer look. These rules could be your best friend in disguise.

Rules as a BFF? Yeah, it’s an opinion not shared by everyone. Lately, I’ve glimpsed a growing disdain in the writing world for learning the rules of the craft, and a sense of impatience in the publishing world when it comes to time spent working on a manuscript.

Yet to excel at anything, one needs to put in the necessary time and practice to gain a skill, be it knitting or carpentry, becoming a doctor or lawyer, a singer, actor, artist. For some reason, though, there is this idea that writers are exempt from this rite of passage. We go into our first manuscript believing it will soon see publication, when in fact, the gem of a debut novel should stand upon a foundation of unpublished manuscripts.

Perhaps it’s the fact we use language every day to communicate with others that makes us think writing a book should be easy. But it’s one thing to pen a speech or 1000-word blog post, or recount an exciting day, and quite another to create a working, cohesive plot line over the span of 80,000+ words and populated with fascinating characters that come alive in someone else’s imagination.

Recently, I contemplated downloading a certain ebook that was offered for free that day. No monetary loss for me if the book turned out to be a disappointment. But I read the “Look Inside” pages first…and in the end, I passed on the free book, because the first two pages—the most important part of a book to hook a reader—were riddled with beginner mistakes. Verb tense inconsistencies, improper capitalization after commas, improper lower case letters after periods, even the lack of an apostrophe on the word “brothers.” What happens when a noun lacks a needed apostrophe? It becomes plural and changes the context of the sentence, which then confuses and frustrates the reader.

I fear the author didn’t take the time to learn the rules and broke many of them without realizing it. It’s not an isolated case. I come across writing like this all too often. That “Look Inside” perk on Amazon has become my go-to before I purchase a book these days.

And the mistakes I mentioned above are basic grammar rules, which I would argue should never be broken. I think a blatant disregard for grammar could only work in a progressive book that sets up the unconventional written style from the very beginning and remains consistent to its own rules throughout. But you risk limiting your audience with a book like that. (And notice you still have to follow rules; they just happen to be ones you’ve created yourself.)

For the rest of us, however, it doesn’t matter how awesome our characters are or how well-developed our plot lines are. We will lose our readers early on if we make beginner mistakes—and if those mistakes occur in our debut novel, most readers won’t come back for our second book.

So why the negative stigma around rules, when they’re on our side? Traffic rules help us move through the streets with relative ease. Following blueprints are vital for the integrity of any structure, be it a bridge, a storage shed, a house, or a 20-story complex. Understanding how ingredients work—and don’t work—together are crucial in baking, and learning how to make different stitches is a must before one can construct a garment via knitting, crochet, or sewing. To master these skills takes time—and a respect for the rules.

The same holds true for a writer.

Can’t use adverbs? We must think harder about description.

No passive voice? We must come up with a stronger way to word that sentence.

No naming of emotions? We must show the emotion instead, whether through internal or external action/reaction.

Only two prepositions per sentence? We must tighten that sentence, maybe splice it into two, make it cleaner.

No exclamation points? We must word the sentence in such a way the reader will hear the raised voice or sense the shock.

It’s only when we’ve been restricted to the confines of this box of rules that we can appreciate the freedom and understanding gained therein, once we come out of the box. For then we will know why and when we need that passive sentence; why and when we want that exclamation point; why and when that adverb is the perfect choice for that sentence; why and when naming an emotion is important for the flow and pace of a scene.

If we’re going to produce quality books, if we want a shot at turning this passion into a career, we must fight against the temptation to publish our work fast. We must slow down, invest the hours to develop our skill, and have patience for the process along the way. As I’ve heard someone else say, writing a book is not a race with other competitors, it’s our own personal marathon.

So let’s run it well. We get one chance to make a good first impression.