Rules of Writing

Sometimes I think there are as many writing rules as there are writers. Certainly for every writer, or writing instructor, who dictates a rule, there's a successful writer who flouts it or flaunts breaking it.* Even Bruce Sterling, whose excellent lexicon of workshop terms is found on the Resources page, advocates the adage "Write What You Know". I'd like to turn that about a bit to read "Know What You Write". Your repertoire of topics could be severely limited if you only write on the familiar. Learn about something new for your next poem, article, or story. It's called "research", and most good writers rely on it to keep their works fresh. Even niche writers must keep up with the latest developments in their specialties.

* 'Usage Note: Flaunt as a transitive verb means "to exhibit ostentatiously": She flaunted her wealth. To flout is "to show contempt for": She flouted the proprieties. For some time now flaunt has been used in the sense "to show contempt for," even by educated users of English. This usage is still widely seen as erroneous and is best avoided.' from dictionary.com.

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