3 Novel Writing “Rules” You Probably Shouldn’t Break
I don’t usually like rules in fiction writing. Writing is art, and great art often comes from breaking norms. However, writing is also a skill, and honing that skill can enhance your work. Here are three key writing rules I think lead to a better experience for your readers.
01. Don’t Head Hop
I heard this advice early on in my writing career, and I still adhere to it pretty firmly. Head hopping is when you show multiple character’s POV in the same scene. Here’s an extreme, terrible example of head-hopping.
Jenny couldn't believe her eyes. Matt, standing right there, looked so different from the last time she saw him. He was thinking about how awkward this reunion was, remembering their last argument vividly. Jenny felt a rush of emotions and wondered if he still cared about her at all. Meanwhile, Matt was secretly hoping she wouldn't bring up the past. Jenny noticed his tense posture and guessed he was feeling just as nervous as she was. She thought about how much she missed him, and Matt couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked.
We’re getting Jenny’s perspectives on what’s unfolding at the same time we’re getting Matt’s. Not only is it awkward to read, it makes your readers work twice as hard to parse who’s having which thought. This lessons any and all emotional impact.
Every now and then a master writer can pull off head-hopping, but I strongly suggest limiting it to one character’s POV per scene.
02. Don’t Do The “mirror Thing”
I totally did the mirror thing in my first writing attempt, until I read an interview with a literary agent who said it was her top red flag in a manuscript, and you know what? I think she’s right. I still come across authors doing the mirror thing, and it’s an immediate DNF for me because it’s just so cheesy. If you’re unfamiliar, the “mirror thing” is when an author tells the reader what a character looks like by having him or her look in the mirror and asses the reflection. Here’s an extreme, terrible example.
Jenny caught glance of herself in the mirror while brushing her teeth and paused, because it was just … the same as she always looked. Her shoulder-length brown hair that always seemed a bit too frizzy, plain brown eyes that were neither dark nor golden. Her nose was slightly crooked, a reminder of the time she broke it in middle school, and nobody would call her lips pouty. She was fond of her freckles, but it was hard to even notice them with the big shadows under her eyes…
(I’m pretty sure I have slipped up and done the mirror thing myself in my books. Not proud of it.)
03. Show Don’t Tell
A classic writing rule, perhaps THE classic writing rule, and with good reason. Telling is when you explain to the reader what has happened, or what the character is feeling. Showing is when you let the reader experience it.
Telling:
Maria was sad after the argument with her friend.
That same thing, but shown:
Maria slumped onto the couch, her eyes welling up with tears. She stared blankly at the floor, her shoulders shaking as she hugged a pillow to her chest, replaying the harsh words of the argument over and over in her mind.
Here’s another example.
Telling:
Sarah was excited about her new job.
The same thing, but shown:
It was only when she noticed people giving her second glances that she realized she was grinning like a fool as she walked down the sidewalk, unable to stop thinking about the job offer.
All this said, I dislike absolute rules. If you feel really called to break these rules as part of your unique style? Go for it, just know if you’re planning to go the traditional publication route, they can be deal breakers for agents and editors!
I’m a published romance author as Lauren Layne.