One of life’s little instructions that is a good one to remember is: When something doesn’t feel right, there’s a reason.  As far back as I can remember that advice has been handed down to me from parents, teachers, and friends.  In writing it also applies. When what you’re writing doesn’t look right or progress the story along, then rethink, rewrite or remove it.

I recommend reading what you write out loud.  You can hear things that don’t always seem obvious on the page.  Word over usage. Sing-song rhythms. Choppy dialog. Breaking the rules on purpose, for a purpose, is totally different than ignoring rules of grammar and punctuation.  It’s been suggested that we should learn how to write really well before we try to break any rules. I tend to agree.

If a character does something that they have never done or would not do, then it will confuse the reader and stop the flow of the story.  It won’t feel right if Grandma who has never cursed in her 87 years all of a sudden she starts cursing every other word. Unless she’d developed a disease that affects language I’m thinking it won’t feel right to the reader and they will wonder what’s happened to Grandma, but may not keep reading to find out.

We ask the reader to suspend disbelief to a certain degree the minute they enter the world of our stories. We don’t want that to be hard or impossible for them to do.  So, make sure what you write makes sense and moves the story forward.  Gratuitous shocking of the reader will move them right out of the story and your book right into the garage sale box.

Let’s update the saying “if it feels good, do it” and replace the feels with reads.  Yes, that will work. Write on, my friends.