tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post5491397105692399556..comments2024-03-28T05:29:45.364-04:00Comments on Heim Binas Fiction: Breaking the rulesCKHBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17741681893677604323noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-40910819893886083092010-01-17T20:48:10.518-05:002010-01-17T20:48:10.518-05:00Exactly. You study the rules. You try to write b...Exactly. You study the rules. You try to write by the rules. Then, you hear that an editor picked up a book because it was written in such a unique way by someone who broke the rules. Perhaps writing what you know really means writing from your passion...worry about the rules later.Mary Aalgaardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08051735579638637382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-28273292776184612652010-01-15T12:30:41.072-05:002010-01-15T12:30:41.072-05:00I feel so much better now...I feel so much better now...J.B. Chicoinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06894797553204276281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-69334529831712321002010-01-12T23:39:28.694-05:002010-01-12T23:39:28.694-05:00I agree with Gary's comment. Break the rules o...I agree with Gary's comment. Break the rules once you understand the rules. Rule provide a fence and if you don't understand what is being fenced in our kept out you cannot build gates where you need them.Tabitha Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08196816108272065974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-30807113439814450702010-01-12T22:10:00.396-05:002010-01-12T22:10:00.396-05:00A very good post. My rule breaking is usually in ...A very good post. My rule breaking is usually in the area of frangmented sentences - people just don't always talk, or think, in complete sentences. And of course, write what you know. I don't know much about a lot of careers and such, but I know how to research and find out.<br /><br />Thanks for the 411 on the rules and reporting out on what sounded like a great seminar.<br /><br />........dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-89610403721419829802010-01-12T21:07:34.589-05:002010-01-12T21:07:34.589-05:00I agree a lot with what she says. I'd have to...I agree a lot with what she says. I'd have to say though the basic rules are there for people who need some early guidance, which was definitely me. Break them only if you <i>understand the rules and know why you're breaking them</i>. <br /><br />Rule 4 should say, "Write every day, even if you don't feel like it."<br /><br />Rule 6 should say, "Read bad books and work out why they're bad." You'll learn more that way than reading supposedly good books.<br /><br />I especially agree with her rule 5.Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-29736707546565401542010-01-12T17:59:07.676-05:002010-01-12T17:59:07.676-05:00I'm a born rule-breaker, so thank you for the ...I'm a born rule-breaker, so thank you for the validation ;) Seriously, excellent advice. Thank you for passing it on! Bookmarking this one.Carolina M. Valdez Schneiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11589934533051907801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-51077946995714778322010-01-12T16:37:01.211-05:002010-01-12T16:37:01.211-05:00Carrie, nice meeting you at Grub last night. Your...Carrie, nice meeting you at Grub last night. Your blogsite is awesome. For rudimentary, see mine at www.kosmospack.wordpress.com. I'll be a frequent visitor. Best, Mike Geisser (mgeisser@cox.net)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-47393086895119061882010-01-12T15:20:11.299-05:002010-01-12T15:20:11.299-05:00First of all, I love that picture.
Second, I alwa...First of all, I love that picture.<br /><br />Second, I always thought "write what you know" was a dumb rule. If everyone only wrote what they knew, then we'd have no sci-fi, fantasy, or supernatural stories. Unless you assume that every sci-fi writer owns a time machine. "Write what you care about, and back it up with research," is a much better goal.Lisahttp://hermountain.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-58259575058481747162010-01-12T14:39:44.670-05:002010-01-12T14:39:44.670-05:00Great post!
I once took a fiction class in which ...Great post!<br /><br />I once took a fiction class in which a guy wrote a story breaking every single rule the professor laid out (don't write from beyond the grave, don't write from the point of view of a writer or student, don't have it all be a dream, etc.) and he wrote a BRILLIANT story. Even the professor conceded. The rules exist for a reason, but they can always be broken.Sandyhttp://sandyraymond.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-45828295809581782012010-01-12T14:22:42.190-05:002010-01-12T14:22:42.190-05:00I kind of think of the rules as more of a suggeste...I kind of think of the rules as more of a suggested ideal. All in all, I agree with a lot of her changes to them, but they do make sense on their own even without being broken. I see both ends of the spectrum.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing this with us. I like getting treated to seminar information and such without having to find a sitter for my 5 kids and drive umpteen hours to get to the gig. :PVoidwalkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06688751100806767843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-72727899933216640352010-01-12T14:10:21.661-05:002010-01-12T14:10:21.661-05:00I love this and I LOVE the picture.
The revised r...I love this and I LOVE the picture. <br />The revised rules DO make more sense and I really look forward to more about the showing and the telling.<br /><br />One thing I get a lot of from one person in my writing group is "Is this your voice, the character's voice, or another voice?" and I'm thinking, For heaven's sake, it's all the character's voice! She doesn't like it because I don't use italics. But it's written in close third person. And no one else had a problem with that, AND I think the genre does that a lot. So I'm keeping that rule broken.Sierra Godfreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552916038080341870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-24211343463970982312010-01-12T13:16:05.492-05:002010-01-12T13:16:05.492-05:00Wow, what a fantastic and encouraging post! It...Wow, what a fantastic and encouraging post! It's true - we can get so mired down by "the rules" that we psyche ourselves into a creative coma. I'd like to break the rule that your opening has to be good ... haha, just kidding ... at the end of the day, SOME rules are not meant to be broken .. I just need to keep working at it, I guess! ;-)Cammiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03861378825187133888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-66655921768366291212010-01-12T12:54:39.869-05:002010-01-12T12:54:39.869-05:00Loved this Carrie. Seems like new writers can get ...Loved this Carrie. Seems like new writers can get tripped up with these old myths.nephite blood spartan hearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17092519999184585295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-81464936765471187582010-01-12T12:25:06.212-05:002010-01-12T12:25:06.212-05:00I much prefer Joan's revised rules. I'm no...I much prefer Joan's revised rules. I'm not big on rules when it comes to the arts. Do what you like because if you like it then there's probably someone else somewhere who will also like it and if there isn't then you are totally unique which could be interesting in itself.<br />Thanks again Carrie for your superb comment to my question on my post from yesterday. You have a knack for expressing your thoughts exceptionally well.<br />LeeArlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-83861994434832645842010-01-12T11:34:07.135-05:002010-01-12T11:34:07.135-05:00Yes, thank you.
I'm looking forward to tomorro...Yes, thank you.<br />I'm looking forward to tomorrow's post.<br /><br />I struggle a lot with the POV and i suspect i always will. But it's good to know the rule is much more flexible than i have been taught. Also Stephen King doesn't follow that one...Sarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-24458307178300967672010-01-12T11:14:02.064-05:002010-01-12T11:14:02.064-05:00Great post, Carrie. We are all individuals and wir...Great post, Carrie. We are all individuals and wired differently. I can only say what works for me. And as you said, the point is that we're writing. <br /><br />As far as market trends, we need a break-in, but we also need to be true to ourselves. So, hopefully we can find a break-in that is true to ourselves! It's not impossible.Jody Hedlundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424307540530719614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-51660114191069821642010-01-12T11:09:59.196-05:002010-01-12T11:09:59.196-05:00Sentence fragments.Sentence fragments.Heather Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06699360166269376285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849583276019228310.post-73935767855171300792010-01-12T10:52:25.444-05:002010-01-12T10:52:25.444-05:00Francis Macomber: one of my favorite short stories...Francis Macomber: one of my favorite short stories ever. The rules were made to be broken, but I'd add the caveat that one should be sure ones craft is developed enough to get away with it.<br /><br />For example, leaving quotation marks off your dialogue might work for Chuck Palahniuk and Cormac McCarthey, but beginning writers better not try submitting that unless they've polished it until it gleams.<br /><br />My rule-breaking? Minimal. I like using adjectives as adverbs sometimes. Occasional sentence fragments. Works for me. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com