I'm curious to know if anyone has any personal rules for writing.
I know that I have a large one that encompasses a lot of smaller things.
Make sure the reader understands what you mean when you write it
The first part of this rule would be things like spelling and grammar. I'm not extremely good with commas or other marks of the like. Also I am not the best speller. However,I try to produce writing that matches proper grammar to the best of my knowledge, with the occasional reference to grammar guides when I need to. Also I run my writing through spell check and reread it to watch for words that are real words, but not the ones that I want to use.
The second part of this rule would be things like word choice and setting the mood. The difference between two synonyms can be a lot more than just what the actually word is. Some words are associated with certain things, just like symbols are associated with certain things. Criticism has a mostly negative context around it. Comparing that to review is a good example. Review has a more neutral context. Their definition albeit similar do mention this difference, but it isn't a huge difference. However, this difference can definitely alter the way a reading interprets a sentence.
Bob wrote a lengthy criticism of the storygame.
vs
Bob wrote a length review of the storygame.
Readers would develop the opinion that most of what Bob came up with was negative from the first sentence, but come up with a more neutral opinion of what Bob wrote from the second sentence. If it was story game where Bob was a character, and I wanted to create a person the audience might dislike, then the first sentence would be better. If I wanted Bob to be a good guy, then the second sentence would be better. Of course, there will be some difference in how words are interpreted. I try very hard to get the interpreted meaning on par with what I mean. The other part of this which helps with making sure the reader interprets the words the right way. Mood is something that I think needs to be set well. If there are any changes in mood, then they must be somewhat noticeable to even the most unperceptive reader. Word choice is something that helps with creating a mood. Another part that I enjoy messing around with in experimenting with writing is how sentence structure and pacing can affect mood. A series of short sentence that are less numerous on details get across a more rushed type of mood. Perhaps it would be something I used if a character was trying to defuse a bomb or a character that was having a panic attack. A more lengthy sentence with many commas and details would be something that gets across a more relaxed type of mood. Perhaps it would be something I used for a traveling scene or an introduction to a new character in a cozy tavern.
Does any one else have something like this? Even if it was a bit less lengthy as I got a little carried away with describing mine.
