Writing Help 129 | - ☆ Freelance Writer
Jun 07, 2017 | #1
You've got a thumb drive full of your fan fiction stories. Stories that fuel your imagination and get good reader reviewers over at fanfiction.net. You feel all so powerful and creative when you are writing for yourself. Your imagination just gets heightened and the words just flow out of you when you are imagining the next adventure that Supergirl or the Flash will be going on. It's decent enough writing as far as your audience is concerned. So why, do you end up getting less than stellar scores in your creative writing class? Why does your teacher say you need extra work when it comes to writing your class essays? How come your work is acceptable in some instances but not when it comes to your academic writing needs? Why are those FANBOYS so important in class but not in real time writing?
All these writing rules are driving you up the wall when all you want to do is write. You find yourself staring at the blinking cursor on the screen. Frozen, wondering if you should be writing using the rules you were taught in class as you try to write your great novel. The answer is, no. FANBOYS don't apply when writing outside of the classroom. In fact, there are times when writing grammar rules were meant to be broken and there are reasons why that is so.
First up, you can start a sentence with a Conjunction if it is necessary to do so. Remember, that a conjunction is supposed to connect words and thoughts in a sentence. There will be times when you will need to do that in your sentences. For example:
Me: Our teacher said the test will be composed of basic formulas and...
You: And what?
Me: And problem solving equations.
See how the sentence was structured there? It was impossible to not start the sentence with the word "And", which is supposed to be a FANBOY no-no. Based upon the writing situation, certain FANBOY words could be necessary at the start of the sentence. When done in moderation, nobody will care that the FANBOYS are breaking the writing rules. In fact, it makes your writing more exciting.
Using a conjunction at the start of your paragraph improves your writing presentation and allows you to create a more vivid and creative sentence for the presentation. Here's another example of a conjunction that works well at the start of a paragraph.
Because the fans demanded it, we had to deliver it ! And with that acknowledgement, please welcome, One Direction!
That sort of announcement tends to get the adrenalin pumping among the audience. This proves that FANBOYS have their benefits at the start of sentences. Hey, if TV hosts can FANBOY it, so can we!
Next, let's try to deal with those pesky Split Infinitives. In creative writing, splitting the infinitive sometimes becomes a necessary evil. Getting a word between "to" and a verb helps to strengthen a sentence. A split infinitive creates a more interesting take on a statement, or when clarity is important to the presentation. For example, it is more interesting to hear the following description:
He dropped me off at the corner close to the bus stop. That gave me time to quickly head into the waiting bus.
Instead of:
He dropped me off at the bus stop close to the corner where I boarded the waiting bus in a rush.
Which of the two descriptive sentences caught your eye more? Exactly. Split that infinitive if it means you get to write more effectively.
Don't forget, Personal Pronouns make your writing feel more personal. While teachers will tell you to avoid using the word "I" when referencing anything in your essay, it doesn't really make sense for you to do that. It is impossible to prove that you understand what you are writing about, nor offer a conviction when it comes to siding with a particular discussion, if you do not directly involve yourself in your writing. Use the personal pronouns to help engage the reader. Prove that you stand by what you wrote by saying "I believe". After all, if you don't own up to what you are writing, you lose the very reason that a reader should believe in what you have written. It is one thing to say:
I personally believe that the information I gathered is enough to prove the point...
That has an air of authority to the presentation and convinces the reader that you know what you are talking about. It allows the readers to understand your way of thinking in relation to your story presentation or discussion. Compare that to saying:
According to research, there is enough information gathered to prove the point...
That sounds just so mechanical and doesn't allow you to impart any personal connection with the information that you gathered. It makes the reader question why you think that this generic information should be taken as informative or personal in nature. In other words, you need to get personal with your writing if you want the reader to care about what you are saying. For an even more personal feel, consider the use of contractions in your writing.
Finally, it's okay to contract your words depending upon the audience you are writing for. Basically, Contractions are not a writer's enemy. Using contractions solely depends upon who will be reading your work. When writing for an academic setting, do not contract your sentences. While the written work you produce may sound archaic in terms of today's English standards, this formal English wording is the required element of academic writing. Not contracting your words shows a degree of respect towards your learned mentors and peers. It also helps in presenting more targeted discussions and terms in your essay or research paper.
However, if you are writing for a more informal audience, such as the readers of your fan-fiction or friendly emails or texts, then go ahead and contract away. In fact, that sort of audience expects you to do that. Remember, the audience will dictate your writing style and whether you can break the contraction rules or not.
As a writer, you do not always have to be confined by the formal rules of academic research and writing. Don't let the formal writing rules get to you so much. The rules are in place in the classroom only because you are still learning the rudimentary rules of writing. Once outside of the classroom, all bets are off. Just write as you will and enjoy telling your story in the manner you are comfortable doing.
All these writing rules are driving you up the wall when all you want to do is write. You find yourself staring at the blinking cursor on the screen. Frozen, wondering if you should be writing using the rules you were taught in class as you try to write your great novel. The answer is, no. FANBOYS don't apply when writing outside of the classroom. In fact, there are times when writing grammar rules were meant to be broken and there are reasons why that is so.
First up, you can start a sentence with a Conjunction if it is necessary to do so. Remember, that a conjunction is supposed to connect words and thoughts in a sentence. There will be times when you will need to do that in your sentences. For example:
Me: Our teacher said the test will be composed of basic formulas and...
You: And what?
Me: And problem solving equations.
See how the sentence was structured there? It was impossible to not start the sentence with the word "And", which is supposed to be a FANBOY no-no. Based upon the writing situation, certain FANBOY words could be necessary at the start of the sentence. When done in moderation, nobody will care that the FANBOYS are breaking the writing rules. In fact, it makes your writing more exciting.Using a conjunction at the start of your paragraph improves your writing presentation and allows you to create a more vivid and creative sentence for the presentation. Here's another example of a conjunction that works well at the start of a paragraph.
Because the fans demanded it, we had to deliver it ! And with that acknowledgement, please welcome, One Direction!
That sort of announcement tends to get the adrenalin pumping among the audience. This proves that FANBOYS have their benefits at the start of sentences. Hey, if TV hosts can FANBOY it, so can we!
Next, let's try to deal with those pesky Split Infinitives. In creative writing, splitting the infinitive sometimes becomes a necessary evil. Getting a word between "to" and a verb helps to strengthen a sentence. A split infinitive creates a more interesting take on a statement, or when clarity is important to the presentation. For example, it is more interesting to hear the following description:
He dropped me off at the corner close to the bus stop. That gave me time to quickly head into the waiting bus.
Instead of:
He dropped me off at the bus stop close to the corner where I boarded the waiting bus in a rush.
Which of the two descriptive sentences caught your eye more? Exactly. Split that infinitive if it means you get to write more effectively.
Don't forget, Personal Pronouns make your writing feel more personal. While teachers will tell you to avoid using the word "I" when referencing anything in your essay, it doesn't really make sense for you to do that. It is impossible to prove that you understand what you are writing about, nor offer a conviction when it comes to siding with a particular discussion, if you do not directly involve yourself in your writing. Use the personal pronouns to help engage the reader. Prove that you stand by what you wrote by saying "I believe". After all, if you don't own up to what you are writing, you lose the very reason that a reader should believe in what you have written. It is one thing to say:
I personally believe that the information I gathered is enough to prove the point...
That has an air of authority to the presentation and convinces the reader that you know what you are talking about. It allows the readers to understand your way of thinking in relation to your story presentation or discussion. Compare that to saying:
According to research, there is enough information gathered to prove the point...
That sounds just so mechanical and doesn't allow you to impart any personal connection with the information that you gathered. It makes the reader question why you think that this generic information should be taken as informative or personal in nature. In other words, you need to get personal with your writing if you want the reader to care about what you are saying. For an even more personal feel, consider the use of contractions in your writing.
Finally, it's okay to contract your words depending upon the audience you are writing for. Basically, Contractions are not a writer's enemy. Using contractions solely depends upon who will be reading your work. When writing for an academic setting, do not contract your sentences. While the written work you produce may sound archaic in terms of today's English standards, this formal English wording is the required element of academic writing. Not contracting your words shows a degree of respect towards your learned mentors and peers. It also helps in presenting more targeted discussions and terms in your essay or research paper.
However, if you are writing for a more informal audience, such as the readers of your fan-fiction or friendly emails or texts, then go ahead and contract away. In fact, that sort of audience expects you to do that. Remember, the audience will dictate your writing style and whether you can break the contraction rules or not.
As a writer, you do not always have to be confined by the formal rules of academic research and writing. Don't let the formal writing rules get to you so much. The rules are in place in the classroom only because you are still learning the rudimentary rules of writing. Once outside of the classroom, all bets are off. Just write as you will and enjoy telling your story in the manner you are comfortable doing.