Follow Writing Rules

Writers are faced with many rules of writing and editing. It is tempting to ignore those rules and go it alone. Beginning writers often do this at their own peril. Certainly there are examples of writers who ignore all the rules and write brilliant masterpieces. But those instances are rare indeed, and those writers are extraordinarily gifted. For most of us, most of the time, we will benefit from listening to and following long-established guidelines for writing well. These guidelines exist because they are time-tested and sound; and for most people, most of the time, they are true. An unwillingness to follow sound writing principles or editing advice often comes with lack of experience and a tendency to overestimate one's writing abilities. Successful writers know that they must rewrite their work repeatedly to achieve their goals. They welcome rather than reject editing advice and they usually implement whatever editing changes have been offered to them. Novice writers, on the other hand, tend to believe their first drafts are just fine and don't need any rewriting. They tend to resist any urging to change what they've written. This resistance is ultimately what keeps them from developing and succeeding as writers. Embracing writing and editing rules will strengthen your writing and help you succeed. View these guidelines as helpers to get you to your goals and you'll find that you've turned your writing stubborness into writing success.