Is the Universe Hitting You Over the Head?You know those times when you hear something, over and over, until you just know the universe is trying to tell you something? We’ll I’m having one of those months. Everywhere I turn around, I run into the concept of rules that writers should live by, and someone (okay, mostly me) questioning whether or not it’s okay to break them.
Committing Suicide. Or Magic.
First, I do believe we have to know the rules, get intimate with them, and think about why they are “the rules.”
Next, before we decide to break one of those “rules,” I think we need to consider it in context with our own work and see if we have a truly valid reason/inspiration for breaking it.
Finally, I am certain that if we break “the rules,” we are risking failure. But we also risk committing art. And magic. And a piece of truth that will reach out from our hearts straight into the hearts of our readers.
Ultimately, the decision to follow a “rule” or break it must be yours. Do you follow and play it safe? Or walk the gangplank, stare into the eyes of the shark, and risk making a great big bellyflop into infested waters? You might die. Or you might have the most adrenaline-charged swim of your life, with an amazing story at the end of it.
Not the Regularly Scheduled Program
I was going to start us off on a discussion of one of the books we chose on Thursday, but I’m taking a risk. I want to know what book you have read recently that broke a rule and gave you chills as a result. What rule did it break? Why did the author choose to break that rule, and how did she manage to pull it off? Or can you think of a book that broke the rules and did a face plant?
Are You Taking A Risk?
Are you taking risks in your writing? What rule are you breaking? Thinking of breaking? Are you comfortable with your decision and how’s it working for you?
Leave a Comment by 8/31 for a Chance to Win Crescendo
Give us a thoughtful answer and I’ll put you in the running to win Crescendo (Hush, Hush book 2)
. (Winner will be selected Wednesday night and announced on Thursday. U.S. or Canada entries only.) I might pick some surprise additional winners too, depending on how many great answers we have.
So tell me, what do you think of rule-breaking?
Happy writing,
Martina