Rules, and when to bend them

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Rules, and when to bend them; Rambling about writing
Topic Started: Wednesday Apr 28 2010, 12:25 PM (264 Views)
MonaLisa	Wednesday Apr 28 2010, 12:25 PM Post #1
Lumi Masters Posts: 2,341 Group: Managers Member #119 Joined: March 24, 2006	I'm going to just "type out loud" here for a bit, about some stuff I've been thinking about. It's mostly to straighten out my own thoughts, but I'm also hoping others may want to chime in. There are some rules that are genererally handed out to new aspiring writers - in school, on writing courses, as advice by published authors, etc. etc. But just how useful are they? Do they always apply? What do the rules really mean? Show, Don't Tell. This is the most common rule for writing, I think. Almost everyone's heard it at some point. And generally, it's a good one. Don't tell the readers "Kate is evil," show them what makes her evil. Don't tell them who to root for, show them how the characters act and let them decide for themselves. (But be prepared for the fact that they may not always agree with you.) It can be taken to extremes, though, if you interpret it too literally. I mean, it's perfectly okay to tell us that X went through his usual morning routine, rather than showing us how he uses the bathroom, fixes breakfast, eats breakfast, brushes his teeth, etc. Yes, that's an exaggerated example, but there's a real point behind it: sometimes writers overload on description. Don't forget that action is necessary to keep people interested, and avoid purple prose. Going on for several paragraphs about how your character looks - well, people may stop reading, and you'll likely hear a few cries of "Mary Sue!" if it's an original character. Chekhov's Gun. "One must not put a loaded rifle on the stage if no one is thinking of firing it." Technically, this is a rule for theater, but it's often applied to other forms of writing as well. Also, some versions of this state that the gun must be fired - but the original (quoted above) only says someone must think about firing it. Small difference, but one that should be noted, IMO. I'm not sure I agree with this one, strictly speaking. When it comes to theater props, it makes sense - but in other writing, not necessarily. I'm sort of a fan of (well written) misdirection. Red herrings are very useful! Also, it adds a certain sense of realism if not everything that is in a room, or that happens to your character, will turn out to be Highly Relevant. So how would I use it? Well, if I'm writing a scene in Sami's apartment which I know will end with Sami throwing a vase at Lucas' head... Maybe I start by describing the living room. There are sheer yellow curtains, some flower pots, colorful throw pillows on the couch, fashion mags on the coffee table, a beautiful vase, several family photographs, a shelf full of knick-knacks... You hide the one object that's going to be used for plot among several others that are just for description. (Well, maybe they also give a picture of who Sami is and what she likes.) Days actually did a Chekhov's Gun thing back in the Franco era. Franco gave Sami a gun for protection, she locked it in a drawer so Will couldn't get to it, Lucas saw the whole thing - and later Lucas used that same gun to shoot Franco with. It's practically textbook. And because so much was made of the gun, it would've looked like a plot hole or loose end if it had never been used. So that's basically what I take away from this rule - if you intentionally draw attention to something, there had better be a reason for it. Start Where the Trouble Starts. This is one of the more useful rules, IMO. So many writers want to start by setting up the whole backstory they've created, or describing, in detail, the character they've created and love so much. After all, they've been told that a backstory and good descriptive writing are essentials for a good story, so they've put a lot of effort into this. The thing is, as a reader, you get bored real quick when you have to work your way through pages of stuff that means nothing to you, before there's anything to hook your interest. As a writer, you need to first make people care, then drop in the necessary info little by little. However - this doesn't necessarily apply as much to fanfiction. If you're writing a Lumi story, your readers are likely to be people who already know Lucas and Sami, and automatically care what happens to them just because they're Lucas and Sami. On the other hand, there's not much need to go into detailed descriptions or backstories at all, because we already know those, too. (Unless you're doing an AU, of course.) Obey You Own Rules. This is one of the most important rules when it comes to what I enjoy to read. The writer must be consistent in how their universe works. You can't change the natural laws (of your world) in order to suit your plot, for example. Realism goes under here, too - don't have your character run desperately for miles through difficult terrain to save the day, and then be perfectly fresh, clean, and nice-smelling. Be logical. Serious wounds shouldn't heal in a day. Again, there are exceptions... when we're talking about writing fanfic for soap operas. Soaps by their very nature defy all these rules. There's SORAS, brain chips, clones, doctors who have five different specialties, paternities that change three times in as many years, and so on and so forth. If your story is set in Salem, you're free to invent absurd local laws that somehow don't seem to apply to everybody - because that's how Salem works. (It wouldn't hurt to add a little disclaimer, though. Unless you're doing a comedy.) Rules that I try to always follow, and very much appreciate when other writers keep in mind: Mind your spelling and grammar. Don't underestimate the reader. Don't abruptly change the whole story halfway through. Stay true to your characters. Use nuances, layers, shades of grey. (Unless you're writing a comedy/parody.) Okay, that's enough rambling for one day! Edited by MonaLisa, Wednesday Apr 28 2010, 12:27 PM.
	At my favorite site, Second Chances We celebrate all Lumi's glances Whether longing and sweet Or of passion and heat It's the greatest of all romances!


Amanda	Tuesday May 4 2010, 03:57 PM Post #2
Lumi Senior Posts: 500 Group: Lumi Fic Fan Member #89 Joined: March 23, 2006	Nice post - Personally, I ADORE shades of grey. I hate characters who were just black and white which is one of the things I've always loved about LUMI. They aren't the proverbial "Supercouple" who are deeply in love and can do no wrong. They have their flaws - Lucas being a womanizer and alcoholic and Sami being - well Sami. She's not an angel but she's far from Stefano. Somehow, every "bad" thing she's done has always been justified by some deep inner hurt that we can all relate to. How dare she change her sisters paternity? She was a kid doing her best to save her family after walking in on her mother cheating - what kid probably wouldn't come up with the same thing if the "knowledge" and "means" were as readily acceptable as it is in Salem. Sometimes the appeal with LUMI -IMO-is that they are so "perfect" for each other that they're polar opposites and miss it.
	But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain. And it's 2am and I'm cursing your name. You're so in love that you act insane. And that's the way I loved you. Breakin' down and coming undone. It's a roller coaster kinda rush. And I never knew I could feel that much. And that's the way I loved you.


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