I have a problem with the advice from the mainstream publishing/writing world. The dogma that surrounds the convention of how a book should be written stifles creativity of authors.
As a writer, I want to create something that appeals to me and hope it also appeals to others. I want to write the story and use the words I want to use to get my tale told. I want to write it in the style of my choice.
I hear so much about: “Show and Tell”, about how long a book should be, about what kind of language to use, about not using too many adjectives, weak adverbs or passive voice… the list goes on.
I hear tell of publishers that make an author re-edit great swathes of their books, change the style, add or remove content. Why?
If I were a painter, I would paint what I want to paint, I wouldn’t like to be told that one of the subjects I may have put on my painting just wasn’t mainstream. Or the technique I used to create a mood wasn’t in line with convention? That, we would probably accept would be absurd. A painter is creating, using the tools available to portray their version of their thoughts. To be told that unless they changed this bit to red or removed that bit, it just isn’t right is, crazy.
The best painters, creators and some of the best writers bucked trends and did what they wanted to do to get their personal version of their idea on to the medium of choice.
There are literally billions of people in the world and they all are different, some will like something others won’t. Why does the publishing establishment get to say what they can consume?
Of course your book needs to be well edited, and the English needs to make sense. But really, as long as you are not spelling things wrong or using tenses that people can’t understand, then do it.
Hey not that long ago we didn’t use texting and the shortened version of the words for that medium. Who is to say what is wrong and what is right?
Not me, that’s for sure.
Do your thing and be proud of it.
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