The Point of Writing Rules

[RedMage]

Here's another YouTube vid on writing. What's the Point of Writing Rules? from editor Ellen Brock.

I haven't watched a ton of Brock's other vids, but this one is different from those I have watched in that it's much more stream of though/consciousness than others that are more polished, edited and seem to be scripted. Just FYI on that.

Despite that, I like what she says about why there are writing "rules". Yes, I put that word in quotes because it suggests something that is not actually true.

Anyhow, what do you guys think?

 

[Stanley Steamboy]

I couldn't watch it all. As I skipped through it, the repeated point was "know the rules why you are breaking them".


This came up, which I think is great info in 6 minutes:

 

[RedMage]

I struggled to watch the whole thing too, hence my warning

What do you think of that, the "know the rules and why you are breaking them"?

 

[Stanley Steamboy]

I struggled to watch the whole thing too, hence my warning

What do you think of that, the "know the rules and why you are breaking them"?

It is a truism for everything, not just writing or art.

 

[RedMage]

Well said.

This isn't sparking the discussion I had hoped. Oh well. But, do you have any suggestions for other writing topics?

 

[Stanley Steamboy]

Well said.

This isn't sparking the discussion I had hoped. Oh well. But, do you have any suggestions for other writing topics?

I am interested in plot construction. Usually treated as an afterthought.

 

[RedMage]

Ooh! That's a good one! I'm going to try to find advice from one of these social media influencer/editor types for you. I definitely have things of my own to say based on my experience writing my books, but these editors read hundreds of manuscripts in the course of a year or two. I don't think they are experts whose words should be taken as law, but they have a different point of view than I do and a much broader set of experiences that I think can be useful to discuss in context of our own current, and past, projects.

Keep an eye out for my next thread! And, in the meantime, maybe visit the 30 Years of SFFWorld forum if you haven't lately. We have a big anniversary coming up and plans to make! I personally posted there twice today. So there are things to discuss!