Defy The Dipthong…Discover Your Voice
I’ve been writing for many years now – I try to not to remember exactly how many, as it reminds me of my age.I’ve written a 50,000 book and two other shorter books, and countless blog posts. and one thing I’ve learned, amongst many, is all writers have their own unique style.
For example, you can use lots of words in big paragraphs, almost ongoing forever and ever, or you can
use
one
word
paragraphs.
And you can begin sentences with the word ‘and’ (I have a friend who does this a lot..).
None of these habits, or ‘quirks’ are in the rulebook of writing. I’m not sure I know many writers who sit down to write have a big book called ‘The Rules & Laws of Writing’ which they constantly check to ensure their writing fits the model.
Which is because there should never be lots of legalistic rules when it comes to writing. Every writer should be free to express themselves in their own language, their own style, their own unique way.
Including you.
Of course there’s rules about spelling and grammar (if I ever read a piece where people don’t understand the difference between your and you’re, I get more than mildly annoyed…). On a basic level, we need to keep to these by and large. And there is the art of redundancy – getting rid of unnecessary words in a sentence, or repeated words and phrases, or repeated words and phrases….(oops). This is important, because it allows us to refine our writing and make it sharper and have more impact.
But when you get into terms like acquisitions, or diphthongs (yes, that’s a real thing), then I, quite frankly, don’t care.
What I mean by this is whilst these can be useful to have a knowledge of, and be aware of, basic grammar rules…
…you don’t need to know what a diphthong is to be a writer.
You just don’t.
Someone who bares their heart in their journal, or even, if they are brave enough, in a blog or book, doesn’t think about these things. They don’t care. They just want to tell their story, and tell it as well as they can, in a way which is truly authentic.
I’ve got my own writing style. And I don’t look at the rulebook. I just share what’s on my heart and put it out there for people to read. When I wrote my book I paid a bit more attention, naturally, but even then I tried to write from my heart, to be true to what was inside which I felt needed sharing, than getting my language absolutely right.
The sad thing this can be one issue which prevents people writing in the first place. I’ve spoken to people who want to write – they are writers who aren’t writing – but are afraid of getting their grammar wrong, of making mistakes.
And I told them just to write, and not to worry about those things. Because the world needed their words, and it would be a waste for fear about language to prevent it happening.
The world needs your words.
There are many people out there desperate to hear your story – and they won’t be nit-picking to see if it fits the rules. (you can tweet that)
They’ll be too busy to nit-pick. Compelled by your story.
People will be drawn into the depths of your heart and it will touch something inside of them in a way which transcends the words themselves.
So don’t fear the diphthong. Defy it.
Just write, and if you’re bold enough, share it. You have no idea what difference sharing your story might make.
Defy the dipthong.
And you might change a life.
Question For Reflection:
Do you always keep the rules? Or are you willing to occasionally break them, and be you?
Let me know in the comments below!
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(Picture Sources: WordPress / Huffington Post)
Yes, I agree that ‘being you is very important’, especially for blogs/creative writers. (It’s a different story for a formal essay for example). I think blogging is the chance, like you said, to tell your story, so you can only be you. 🙂 Rules are good in some sense, they guide us, but we are not also not forget who we are in the midst of it all. Good article. It’s just about reflecting as we write, asking ourselves if we are being our authentic selves, or if not how come or why at this part etc., confronting our fears is a part of life!
http://www.faithbypromises.org
Absolutely Tawana Ray, so glad the post resonated with you & glad you agree. Thanks for the comment & the encouragement, and agree, confronting our fear is part of life. Thanks again.
Do I get bonus points if I actually know what a dipthong is? Full disclosure – I’m a speech-language pathologist. Adding “Defy the Dipthong!” as an action item to my list today!
Awesome Denise – and yes, bonus points for the meaning…(please share!). So encouraged to hear you’re taking action today! Thanks for the comment. 🙂
In phonetics, it is a vowel sound that begins with one vowel sound but ends with another. Sometimes they are referred to as “gliding vowels.” In English, one example would be the “ow” sound in “out.” That is a dipthong. As opposed to the single vowel sound in the word “hat.”
Ah I see (is ‘Ah’ one then, or not?). Thanks for explaining everything Denise! 🙂
No, but “I” is 🙂
Ah, I see! 🙂
Great post, thank you! In general, I don’t care about rules, but at the same time I don’t want to be sloppy (I just googled how to spell sloppy :-)), and I do care about grammar and spelling.
When it comes to my own language, Danish, I’ve never had problems with grammar and spelling, but I didn’t write for years, because I admired famous authors and knew I could never write like them. Today I know there is only room for one Tolkien, one Hans Christian Andersen, and one Jane Austen. And I’m certain there is only one Mariane Kvist Doktor.
Thanks for the comment & encouragement Mariane. Yep, get you totally when it comes to not being sloppy (and the google thing made me smile!) And I am certain there is only one Mariane Kvist Doktor – and she’s awesome! 🙂
Well… I think you know the answer to that question. I look for rules wherever they may be, so I may find a way to break them and stay alive at the same time! haha! Great post!
Thanks so much for the encouragement Ms. Cheevious….and you don’t need to tell me you’re a habitual rule breaker..and brilliant for it!
James, I’ll highlight this on the Christian Poets & Writers blog. Thanks and blessings. http://christianpoetsandwriters.blogspot.com.
Thanks so much Mary – so appreciate it! 🙂
I am without question a rule breaker, James. And proud of it!
Great stuff Dave – join the club!
I break writing rule so much that sometimes I even do it without meaning to!
Me too!!! Nice to meet a fellow habitual rule breaker. 🙂
lol! Yep. In fact … I break more than just writing rules… But I might not want to publish that 😉
You’re not alone in that either…. 🙂
Ha!
i
hope
not!
😀
*oops lower case i…* :p
Haha, ‘grammar check’!! lol
Rules are made to be broken, plain and simple. BUT… it is the art of knowing how and when to break the rules that will keep you on the straight and narrow. Great post, James.
Absolutely spot on Bob, it’s definitely knowing about how and when to break them in one sense. Thanks for the comment & encouragement!
Personal voice in writing is so important, my daughter is non verbal, she is extremely aware of her world around her and has developed a very personal way of communicating with others that completely defies any rules. Sometimes the rules in life, and in writing do need to be looked at differently so the reader can relate on a different level. I hope to grow as a writer and develop, whether that is by the rules or finding a more personal way of relating through words on a page.
Absolutely spot on Olivia, glad the post resonated with you. Great comment, thanks for sharing.
Great article! I’ve always struggled with this idea; in my head, it was like Beethoven – you can break the rules if you know them first. But more and more, I’m realizing that isn’t always true.
Thanks so much for the comment & encouragement Ruth! And I agree, you don’t need to know the rules to break them. Sometimes, it’s better not to know. Thanks again 🙂
AMEN! I spent too many years fearing the page because I knew what I wrote would be filled with “flaws” But, embracing those flaws brings so much freedom.
Thanks so much for the encouragement Eileen! Glad the post resonated too, really appreciate your comment – and totally agree. 🙂
If I waited to write until my writing was perfect….I’d never get any words on paper (or computer screen).
Me too Tara, totally. Thanks 🙂
I love this! Fantastic post. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks Sarah, so appreciate your encouragement, and glad the post helped you. Thanks for commenting!
I seldom keep the rules. I write in fragments and start a lot of my sentences with ‘and’ 😉 But I do think you need to know the rules before you should break them. And I also think we need to know HOW to break them.
Absolutely Nichole, totally agree. I often begin sentences with ‘And’, as you have probably noticed. Thanks for the comment!
I consider rules as mere guidelines and something to be broken from time to time. Great post.
Thanks Bob, really appreciate your encouragement, and totally agree on rules. They are more like guidelines.
Breaking the rules has a place in most aspects of life. The trick is to know when.
Spot on Onisha. Great comment – straight to the point.
There is a strong link between this one and Bob Nailor’s on cliches on his blog (http://www.bobnailor.com/tip_template.php?type=a&i=163). Rules are meant for breaking, but a writer needs to know what the rules are before breaking them.
Speaking of rules, I set out to break all the rules of fantasy writing with my first novel, The Bones of the Earth. I broke them about the princess, the hero, the sage, the dragons, the monsters and the setting. And I think I had a better book for it.
Yes Scott, I guess it’s good to know the rules before breaking them – but probably not necessary. I’ve forgotten a lot of the rules at times, and only afterward have known I am breaking them. Great comment, thanks Scott!
To the extent that rules make for clarity, I think they’re necessary. I agree with you that they shouldn’t interfere with a writer’s voice, or a character’s for that matter. If writers didn’t break the rules, reading would be boring.
Well you must know my response to this. Break ALL the rules, I say!!!
I write what I think or feel and polish it up later. I read too much at work that is barely coherent to put out that kind of writing myself.