Comments on Nathan Bransford, Author: Does Creativity Trump All?

Look, unless you're James Joyce or Jack Keroua...

2010-04-18T12:53:42.905-07:00

Look, unless you're James Joyce or Jack Kerouac, don't think you can get so far outside of the box so as not even be able to SEE the box, and still connect with an audience, let alone a publisher. You have to prove a certain level of command over the rules before being permitted to break them.

Communicate in an understandable structure. Allow ...

2009-10-14T13:03:14.889-07:00

Communicate in an understandable structure. Allow the intent and personality of the writer, characters, narrative, et al. be known. I don't want blue collar to sound like an English professor.

Discipline is much more desirable than inspiration...

2009-10-09T09:23:45.038-07:00

Discipline is much more desirable than inspiration__Hemingway

2009-10-09T09:20:58.694-07:00

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2009-10-09T06:06:28.213-07:00

This comment has been removed by the author.

Hi, This is really nice article to read and thou...

2009-10-09T05:53:02.682-07:00

Hi,
This is really nice article to read and thought how the creativity matters with others.

handy aufladen

I think the rules are there because it's what&...

2009-10-09T03:55:45.640-07:00

I think the rules are there because it's what's been observed as an effective means of communicating and telling a story.

If you can do that without the rules, then great! You're probably very creative and an exception to the rules that you need to follow rules (there's always an exception).

But...you have to know how to communicate effectively. If dangling modifiers are going to throw off your audience, then you need to know that and avoid them. If not, then, more power to you.

Basically, you can use your creativity to break all the rules--but you need to know what you're doing.

Know the rules, then decide whether/when to follow...

2009-10-08T16:21:10.331-07:00

Know the rules, then decide whether/when to follow them or not for the sake of the story.
Overall, you have to let your voice shine through, whether it follows all of the rules or not - and who can remember all of them anyway?

- Jane Opal

The thing with pieces that we term 'creative&#...

2009-10-08T15:27:40.036-07:00

The thing with pieces that we term 'creative' is that the authors generally know the rules and are breaking them to make a point, or to make something seem fresh. They do not disregard the rules for creativity's sake. There's a difference between being creative and lazily writing randomness.

If you break grammar rules because you don't k...

2009-10-08T15:06:44.984-07:00

If you break grammar rules because you don't know them I think it can be a detriment to your writing.

If you break them deliberately for whatever reason I think that's part of the creativity of writing.

More creativity than convention surely, but pleeea...

2009-10-08T15:04:49.347-07:00

More creativity than convention surely, but pleeeaaase, adhere to some form of structure, use verbs, etc. I have nearly suffered skull implosion from some "avant-garde" work I have read.

I guess its a matter of taste and preferred style ...

2009-10-08T14:48:56.328-07:00

I guess its a matter of taste and preferred style really. I am finding myself thoroughly enjoying the YA novels I have been reading lately. Instead of being weighed down in the literature as a whole they tend to let the story drive them. I have probably just been lucky with the novels I have been reading of late, but is it just a coincidence that the best reads are the ones powered by the story, and don't have me reaching for the dictionary every page?
David Gemmell, while entertaining a gathering, told the story of how his first attempt at getting legend published ended with a letter saying stick to delivering coke. He was a born story teller and his creativity and spark lit the wold for too short a time, thank God he didn't let that rejection letter stop him. Perhaps he was not the master of his craft at that time, but he most certainly continued to learn and in the end he achieved something so manny authors are still striving for; that magic formula when good writing and creativity collide to transport the reader to another land.

Ink - I think we're in agreement. Uh oh. Wha...

2009-10-08T13:41:34.233-07:00

Ink - I think we're in agreement.

Uh oh. What do we do now?? :)

I like the comments here. Cool thread.

Sometimes you learn to ski by pushing off the moun...

2009-10-08T11:17:31.322-07:00

Sometimes you learn to ski by pushing off the mountain.

(and going real fast or real slow)

It's a ride, man.

Wow. All this interesting discussion. Thanks you g...

2009-10-08T10:42:32.107-07:00

Wow. All this interesting discussion. Thanks you guys.
Although now I'm left thinking, "Does it really matter? And if it does, should it?"

Just arm yourself with both to the best of your ability and you'll be ok. Us writers are always about doing the best we possibly can anyway. We'd give our last dollar to help promote our book. Why wouldn't we spend hours perfecting our spag (spelling, punctuation and grammar) and our craft?

Still, my curiosity into the subject was fun by reading the comments. Thanks!

I was asking myself how AGENTS perceive this very ...

2009-10-08T10:29:25.392-07:00

I was asking myself how AGENTS perceive this very thing yesterday, in the course of my virtual query-letter quest.

I came across a winning query which landed the now hugely successful author (who also seems like a very cool, sane and helpful person indeed) the one hotshot UK agent everyone wants over here, on account of his track record of securing six-figure deals for debuts by unknowns.

The very short query contained a dangled participle, and if I noticed this Mr Super-Agent surely did (and I bet the author has too, and has to be doubly commended for displaying the letter in order to be helpful).

Super-Agent with the super-nose loved the story, instantly took the author on after over 30 rejections elsewhere (by grammar purists?), and the book was a bestseller.

I think the craft, its tools and creativity are inseperable, but it was interesting to see that an ultra-successful agent didn´t care about grammar when he saw a great story (which is written just beautifully, incidentally).

In my mind it's more important for the work to...

2009-10-08T10:19:27.524-07:00

In my mind it's more important for the work to read naturally. We don't always speak in proper English, so why should our writing?

That said, I think it's important for anyone who considers themselves a master of their craft to know its inner-workings. I think of it much like an artist who paints in abstract. Does his child-like creation mean he can't paint a beautiful landscape if he wanted? Probably not. Master your tools first, then draw from them to create the work you envision.

I think you can learn a lot about writing from reading the work of others. You may not know exactly why something doesn't sound right (i.e. dangling modifier), but an avid reader would know that it doesn't sound right.

I don't care how creative a story is. If the ...

2009-10-08T09:57:46.841-07:00

I don't care how creative a story is. If the writer unintentionally makes grammar or usage errors, I'll fall right out of the magic and have a hard time climbing back in. For me, the tools are an essential part of story construction.

"jjdebenedictis said... The prose only needs...

2009-10-08T09:40:42.026-07:00

"jjdebenedictis said...
The prose only needs to be competent enough to be invisible to the reader."

Side tangent. When I think of invisible prose, I think of Michael Crichton type prose. But although I can't name any off hand, there are also writers we like also for the style of writing, the clever or pretty phrase or metaphor, etc.

Others said it too. I think grammar is important enough to earn its own category from craft. However, grammar, craft/technique, and creativity all have overlaps, because you cannot have one work without the other. It's like asking. What is more important--lungs or heart? You need them both to live. You need all three of the above to write publishable material.

Jodi

Irritated anon, Everyone's opinion matters to...

2009-10-08T09:25:29.412-07:00

Irritated anon,

Everyone's opinion matters to the topic of conversation and to the community.

This blog and others like it create communities of writers who share common interests, goals, and concerns. They provide a place to interact with other writers that many of us do not have elsewhere.

Although I cannot participate every day, I read the blogs almost daily, and I am reminded that I am not alone, and I often learn something new.

I appreciate those who host the blogs, and I appreciate all of the writers and members of the publishing industry who participate.

Just knowing that I am not alone has encouraged me whenever I have asked myself, ‘Am I crazy?’.

Why don’t you hang around with a positive attitude , and you may discover the benefits of this community, too.

Anon, Um, yes? Please say more? Are you suggestin...

2009-10-08T08:43:12.686-07:00

Anon,

Um, yes? Please say more? Are you suggesting Mr. McCarthy's success is the result of creativity, craft or both?

Cormac McCarthy. Need I say more?

2009-10-08T08:30:49.047-07:00

Cormac McCarthy. Need I say more?

I can’t help but picture a tribe sitting around a ...

2009-10-08T08:27:22.302-07:00

I can’t help but picture a tribe sitting around a fire; the medicine man telling a compelling story to the children and then the chief interrupts and says, “Oh wait, back up you used way too many adjectives in that sentence.”

Legalistic people ruin it every time! Enjoy the story people!

The idea of "craft" changes when inventi...

2009-10-08T08:19:12.414-07:00

The idea of "craft" changes when invention becomes the spur kicking the horse's ass.

Abstract artists and hip-hop dancers were able to step completely outside of traditional technical craft to create new methods of expression, which in turn breeds new technique.

Writing is a slow child. Everything takes longer to catch on.

I think you have to know the rules before you can ...

2009-10-08T08:10:12.948-07:00

I think you have to know the rules before you can break them. Everyone needs a strong foundation.What you build is where the creativity comes in.