Breaking the Rules

Okay, so my intention with this post is not to incite some sort of rebellion. I realize writing rules are wonderful guidelines that can set aspiring novelists on the right track. But with imaginations as vast as an endless horizon, I find it odd that some writers conform to the box and stay firmly with in those unwritten rules of storytelling.

Now, if your sole purpose in life is publication, it’s quite possible coloring between the lines is your best bet. But if your joy stems from the creation, and where the story can take you, I’d love to challenge you to take a walk on the wild side and bend, and maybe even break the rules. ;)

That’s not to say some people don’t thrive within the rules. The rules give them definable boundaries and ‘safety’ within their creativity. But for others, people like yours truly, the world beyond the leash bolsters their creativity.

So what are some of these rules???? 

-Always make the reader wait for the first kiss. (Instigated by the hero.)

-Don’t make the heroine too aggressive. She should be somewhat traditionally feminine and demure.

-Let the hero be the one who saves the day. (Heaven forbid a woman actually save herself!)

-Make the female so indecisive you want to reach through the page and bang her stubborn/insecure head against the wall.

-Make the first kiss short. (And very often a mistake.)

-Bring every conflict to a head in the black moment.

-Don’t be too honest about your hero’s inner struggle. If he thinks like a real man women will be offended.

-Don’t use exclamation points!!!!

-Don’t let your characters be tempted beyond a kiss. (They should have superhuman holy minds and perfect self-control.)

-Leave all backstory out of the first 50 pages.

-Stay out of your character’s head. Dialogue is more active.

-Always show, don’t tell.

-Make character flaws minimal. (And easily forgivable.)

-Can the adverbs.

-Don’t use any clichés. (Even though we all reference them in real life)  

I remind you, these can be helpful guidelines, but sometimes the greatest story you can write exists outside the boundaries.

Let’s play! What other writing rules would you add to this list? And which ones do you find you are most inclined to break?

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Amy Leigh Simpson writes Romantic Suspense that is heavy on the romance, unapologetically honest, laced with sass and humor, and full of the unfathomable Grace of God. She is the completely sleep deprived mama to two little tow-headed mischief makers and wife to her very own swoon-worthy hero. Represented by the oh-so-wise and dashing Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.