Should You Follow Popular Writing Rules?

Photo by Ilyuza Mingazova on Unsplash

Victoria “V.E.” Schwab is one of my favorite authors. Her Shades of Magic series holds a special place in my heart, being one of the most engrossing fantasy series I’ve ever read.

But beyond the books she writes, I love V.E. Schwab for how vulnerably she discusses her personal creative process and publishing experience online. Her advice to “Show up. Put in the work. Let go of the outcome.” has been a personal mantra of mine since she first tweeted it several years ago.

In addition to her creative encouragement and hard-hitting truths about the reality of the writing life, Schwab has also shared her disdain for prescriptive writing advice (i.e. how-to content) on social media. As someone who both admires Schwab deeply and happens to write prescriptive advice for a living, I’ve long struggled to reconcile her belief with my work.

It’s okay to disagree with your heroes from time to time, of course. But nevertheless, my mind has returned to the question of why prescriptive writing advice might be problematic time and time again in recent months.

After all, writing is both an art and a craft. While language and storytelling serve as forms of self-expression, one can also learn structures and techniques that can help them become a better writer. Such guidance exists in every creative art, from painting to dancing, playing music, and beyond.

Why, then, would it be wrong to provide how-to guidance on the writing craft?

Or, to flip this question:
Should we, as writers, forgo following popular “writing rules”?
How about advice offered by other writers, editors, or industry professionals?

The answer to this question, in my opinion, is multi-faceted and requires us to define the writing craft in greater detail.

How I approach the craft through my website & resources…

Here at Well-Storied, I teach storytelling structures and techniques that can help writers craft sensational novels and build their best writing lives. Though I firmly believe that there’s no right way to be a writer or craft a story, I also believe in the power that a strong understanding of the craft can lend to a writer’s work.

Established structures and techniques exist for a reason; they’ve aided countless writers in crafting well-developed stories and defining the unique creative processes that work for them. Though every writer internalizes structures and techniques from the stories they consume, an active study of the craft can help a writer hone their skill to a greater degree.

To wittingly forgo developing a basic understanding of the craft is, in my opinion, a foolish decision. Understanding the mechanics behind your art form will in no way inhibit your ability to express yourself freely via that medium.

Moreover, common storytelling structures and techniques are not rules that must be followed to achieve success. The guidance that works for one writer or one story might not work for another, and that’s okay. The purpose of studying the craft is to discover the structures and techniques that can help you write your best story and develop an effective creative process.

When does writing advice become problematic?

Viewed in the light I shared above, I see no issue in teaching or applying common writing and storytelling principles. Rather, prescriptive writing advice becomes problematic when it’s framed as the “right” or “only” way to achieve a specific end.

You’ve seen this advice; it says that successful writers write every day. They never use adverbs, prologues, or flashbacks. They always read their work aloud, and they never use five words when three will do. They stick to genre standards, write what they know, and craft stories solely for commercial success or literary merit. And they’ll tell you that you have to do the same.

These so-called “writing rules” might work well for some writers in some situations or for some stories, but they’re far from a formula for success. As V.E. Schwab says in an interview with Chelsea Pennington of Penn & Paper, “I think it’s important for aspiring writers to seek out a broad spectrum of resources, but not to take any of them as prescriptive. The only thing that works is whatever works for you.”

I couldn’t agree more with this statement. Every story is unique, as is every writer’s creative process. The belief that any piece of writing advice is one-size-fits-all — applicable to every writer, story, and situation — is startlingly egotistical. Nevertheless…

The importance of interrogating prescriptive advice…

Though writing advice should never be presented as prescriptive (i.e. authoritarian), common writing “rules” are frequently misconstrued or contain a kernel of truth worth considering. For this reason, it’s worth interrogating any piece of writing advice you’re presented. Let’s break down four common examples together:

Example 1: Write what you know. 

This piece of advice is often misunderstood to mean that you shouldn’t write about anything you haven’t personally experienced, which is frankly impossible when writing fiction.

Rather, this advice is meant to encourage writers to tap into their emotional experiences or interests when putting pen to paper.

Example 2: The road to hell is paved with adverbs. 

Adverbs are often a sign of poor word choice (e.g. “she ran swiftly” or “he said awkwardly”). Therefore, taking time to question the adverbs in your writing can be a great way to improve the overall quality of your prose.

But don’t mistake this advice to mean that adverbs are evil by default. They also hold the power to provide clarity in cases where no better word choices exist. Use them wisely.

Example 3: Flashbacks represent lazy writing. 

Flashbacks disrupt the pace of a story’s narrative, which is why they’re often considered to be a sign of poor writing.

But when written with purpose and woven into a narrative with care, flashbacks can also deepen characterization and provide a story with necessary context. (Read more here >>)

Example 4: Successful writers write every day.

Every writer has a different process and schedule. While a daily writing routine works well for some writers, it won’t work for all. The kernel of truth inside this piece of advice is the power of consistency.

Whether you write every day or just one or two times a week, forging a writing practice that’s in some way consistent is key to making measurable progress in your journey toward personal writing success.

If you’re an active member of the online writing community, you’re likely bombarded with advice meant to guide you in your writing journey each and every day. Some of these voices will be worth heeding; others won’t. At the end of the day, remember that there is no secret formula for writing growth or success.

The right tools and resources can help you become the writer you want to be, but there is no right way to write. No right way to build a writing practice. No right way to develop a story. No right approach to process or publication. Write what you love using the structures and techniques that best enable you to write it, and you can’t fail to find the creative success you seek.