I include below, a couple of "rules for ritin'" and invite others to add to the list.
1. Don't never use no double negatives.
2. A preposition is the wrong thing to end a sentence with.
I include below, a couple of "rules for ritin'" and invite others to add to the list.
1. Don't never use no double negatives.
2. A preposition is the wrong thing to end a sentence with.
3. Know you're words and they're proper meaning.
4. You ain't need to use improper grammar.
5. Eschew obfuscation.
6. Avoid redundancy and make sure you don't repeat yourself when you write so that you're not saying the same thing multiple times when you could only say it once and making people have to keep reading the same thing over and over instead of just once.
7. A good writer is advised to avoid the passive voice.
(as a reader)
8. Do NOT repeat the last sentence/paragraph of a chapter to start the next chapter.
(as a reader)
8. Do NOT repeat the last sentence/paragraph of a chapter to start the next chapter.
8. Do NOT repeat the last sentence/paragraph of a chapter to start the next chapter.
When it's an ongoing serial updated weekly or less, I rather appreciate the concluding paragraph of one chapter being reproduced as the opening paragraph of the next chapter. However, when the serial is complete, the author should remove them.
AJ
When it's an ongoing serial updated weekly or less, I rather appreciate the concluding paragraph of one chapter being reproduced as the opening paragraph of the next chapter. However, when the serial is complete, the author should remove them.
Those who need that reminder can read as much of the previous chapter as they need to pickup the story, for those who don't it's a real annoyance. The biggest problem is that the double texts never get removed. After all it's a nice word count 'improvement'. I've read stories with relatively short chapters that repeated a complete paragraph every chapter. If I have to estimate, it inflated the word count by at least 15%. I stopped reading that story specifically because of that. It became really annoying after a few chapters.
I remember when graphic novels were published in weekly installments and called comics. It was common for each new excerpt to be preceded by a 'previously' recap, so readers who missed a week or two wouldn't be too seriously disadvantaged.
AJ
I remember when graphic novels were published in weekly installments and called comics. It was common for each new excerpt to be preceded by a 'previously' recap, so readers who missed a week or two wouldn't be too seriously disadvantaged.
That I can understand because you wouldn't have the opportunity to read the previous episode if you wanted too. With stories here on SOL there's no reasonable need for that.
As with all of these rules, there are exceptions. For me, on this one, it's 'dramatic effect'. I've done this twice; once is where a chapter ends on a very specific phrase that has a lot of extra meaning for the narrator, so the 'repeat' in the following chapter is the narrator repeating it in his head to make sure he really heard what he heard.
The second time is at the beginning of Book 2, which repeats the last few paragraphs of Book 1, again for effect. I doubt many people will read them at a significant gap in time, but since the transition is a cliffhanger, repetition works for me there.
Neither is the behavior being called out here, though.
As with all of these rules, there are exceptions.
The OP wasn't real rules. The rule uses what the rule says not to use.
Neither is the behavior being called out here, though.
There's always exceptions to the 'rule'. What you described seems reasonable and with a real function towards readers. What I was referring to was consistent unnecessary repeats starting all chapters, which is really annoying and is cheating with an artificially increased word count.
The second time is at the beginning of Book 2, which repeats the last few paragraphs of Book 1, again for effect. I doubt many people will read them at a significant gap in time, but since the transition is a cliffhanger, repetition works for me there.
Though I prefer each 'book' to stand on it's own, I've often started subsequent books with a 'rehash' discussion between the protagonists, where they discuss where they stand before proceeding with the rest of the book.
If you finish one and immediately start the next, it's largely unnecessary, but if there's a multiple-year delay between each book, then it's pretty much required, as it also covers those who haven't read the preceding books and the cover and/or title just happened to capture their attention, so they start mid-way through the story.
I'd rather not crap on new readers, since sequels are already limited to how many readers will read them (they typically start around 90% of the previous book and quickly head south from there).
My overlap is three fairly short paragraphs. It's much more emphasis, or just effect/style, than anything else.
I agree that it's likely unnecessary, but it makes Book 2 feel more 'complete', since the reader isn't picking up mid-action, and it hardly pads the word count or anything else.
I could summarize Book 1, but I'd likely post that as a separate document, and, since the story is really pretty character-driven, I'm not sure it'd be worthwhile. It'd be a big blob of 'tell don't show', and it'd lose a great deal of nuance, since I can hardly say 'character X has flaws Y and Z', if those flaws are just visible via inference from behavior, never spelled out.
No multi-year delays. Book 2 should start posting seamlessly after Book 1 ends.
I could summarize Book 1, but I'd likely post that as a separate document, and, since the story is really pretty character-driven, I'm not sure it'd be worthwhile. It'd be a big blob of 'tell don't show', and it'd lose a great deal of nuance, since I can hardly say 'character X has flaws Y and Z', if those flaws are just visible via inference from behavior, never spelled out.
That's why, when I've done it in the past, I used a basic two person dialogue, as it is character driven. And rather than just doing a general recap, I have to two characters relate to where they stand at the moment, looking forward, so it's less of a recap and more of a 'this is what we need to do' moment. However, I also clearly state at the start that the prologue in that case is only to be read to familiarize oneself with the preceding book, since anyone who'd just finished the previous one wouldn't need to read it.
Not everything needs to be Telling, just because they're describing something. That's a technique vs. storytelling discussion argument. But the suggestion was just that, an additional technique for anyone looking for a transitional opening, though I doubt it'll fit in with most authors' approaches.
With stories here on SOL there's no reasonable need for that.
We'll have to disagree on that.
AJ
(as a reader)
8. Do NOT repeat the last sentence/paragraph of a chapter to start the next chapter.
I have mixed feeling on this one. I used to hate it, but I've actually seen it done well in a few instances (including the first line, just to remind readers where they finished after a week or two's delay seems to work well, but it depends on how the previous chapter ended of course).
I have mixed feeling on this one. I used to hate it, but I've actually seen it done well in a few instances (including the first line, just to remind readers where they finished after a week or two's delay seems to work well, but it depends on how the previous chapter ended of course).
I don't know how it can be done well, or not ;)
While posting weekly it might make some sense but the problem is that after the book is finished all those unnecessary repeats remain. A reader can go back to the end of the previous chapter and read as much as he thinks he needs to pick up the story. I don't remember exactly, but I think it was here on the forum that someone once said he always reads the last chapter again before reading the new chapter. Having the choice to read as much of the previous chapter is preferable to being forced too and it has the advantage that there are no remaining repeats after the book is finished.
karactr
@PotomacBob
Rules?! We don't need no stinkin' rules!
Sorry. Had a Mel Brooks moment.
And Mel lifted it from Treasure of the Sierra Madre if I remember correctly.
Do what YOU like to do. Some people will bitch. Others may enjoy it.
9. When a rule doesn't fit or is too restrictive, ignore it and make a new rule that fits your style. [that is what many of us seem to do :) ]
10. Learn the difference between homonyms and check that you are using the proper word.
9. When a rule doesn't fit or is too restrictive, ignore it and make a new rule that fits your style. [that is what many of us seem to do :) ]
I'm a little gun-shy of that pronouncement, so many decide to do whatever they like, regardless of the consequences.
Thus, I prefer, "Break the rules when necessary, but always understand the costs associated with breaking them, so you can minimize the damage you inflict on readers. There needs to be a reason for breaking rules (aside from "I don't wanna!"), but there's also a difference between an informed choice and cutting your own throat!
2. A preposition is the wrong thing to end a sentence with.
Up with this I will not put.
Never tell the other authors that you don't give a shit if your story is punctuated right or not. I have been doing a little better.
Dennis aka Catman
Never tell the other authors that you don't give a shit if your story is punctuated right or not. I have been doing a little better.
If an author doesn't give a damn about their own story, then why the hell should the reader? Most often, that's a red flag that the author doesn't give a shit about the reader, and doesn't care whether the book is chock full of typos, bloatware, grammatical issues that confuses readers, and severe plot holes that will frequently trip readers up and leave them scratching their heads.
I think the people who fall into this camp the most are the ones with strong ideas and relatively poor writing skills. I've read through a few stories that have a strong enough plot that it's worth it to me to ignore the typos and grammar or strange constructions or odd tenses or whatever.
On the other hand, that's rare. Mostly I'll just read a page or two and give up, even if it's a story that comes highly recommended (I can think of a few examples, which I will not call out).
#? The rules of the language change by region and generation. (The oxford comma would earn you a failing grade where/when I grew up.)
#? Always start a novel with the last half of the unfinished sentence it ends with.
#? Always start a novel with the last half of the unfinished sentence it ends with.
Read this Book
…
before you realize the entire ending doesn't make a lick of sense!
Ain't no list of rules stop yer riters arguin', bitchin', moanin' unless you'd ritten the rules. Jump in, finish wid
There is only 1 rule - if the reader gets your point it is right, otherwise it is wrong even if you did it right. But you must do it the same way every time the way the reader wants it done. Especially if it is a note to your mother.
I'd rephrase your '1 rule' as 'if the reader likes how you did it, it's right'.
I can think of quite a few stories for which I got the point (with relative ease, in some case), but completely hated reading what I'd read (on a technical level) and had no interest in continuing to read and get more of the author's points.
For instance, consider a work written entirely in this style:
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
I can read it easily, it makes sense, I get the point. But I can't imagine reading a whole work written that way without being forced to do it. And that's an easy example, since the paragraph itself makes grammatical sense, except for spelling.
Yeh, my all-time favorite is "I break for small animals." Along with, "The following is comprised of..."