Writing “rules” are tools meant to help writers tell the best story possible. They aren’t commandments written on stone by the writing gods. They aren’t even a checklist that you need to follow to a tee.
Instead, they should be viewed as tools that writers—especially new writers—can use to write the best story possible.
The real key is understanding the rules. To both follow and break a rule, you first have to understand it.
Writing Rules Are Like Learning to Drive
Think about driving.
There are a ton of rules that go along with driving, and as you’re learning, you have to be pretty strict about them. You’ll likely keep both hands on the wheel. You’ll check all your mirrors. You’ll follow the speed limit and make sure you’re doing everything correctly because those rules help you become a safe driver.
But the longer you drive, the more relaxed you become.
Not because the rules aren’t important—but because they’ve become second nature.
Once those rules become instinctive, you naturally begin breaking some of them. When was the last time you didn’t drive at least five miles over the speed limit?
Writing works much the same way. New writers need the rules because they’re still learning. Experienced writers understand the rules well enough to know when following them helps—and when breaking them serves the story better.
Show, Don’t Tell
Let’s start with one of the most popular writing rules: Show, don’t tell.
Show, don’t tell actually became popular writing advice in the early 1900s for stage writers. Knowing that context makes the advice make much more sense.
Stage writers needed characters to show emotion rather than explain it. It’s far more engaging for an audience to watch a wealthy character casually treating expensive clothes, jewelry, or cars as ordinary than it is to simply hear someone say, “This character is rich.”
For me, this rule clicked once I realized it originally came from visual storytelling.
That said, not everything in a novel should be shown instead of told. If every detail had to be shown, books would become exhausting to read.
It’s perfectly okay to summarize or tell your reader certain things.
I actually think of “show, don’t tell” less as a rule and more as a pacing tool.
If I want a scene to slow down and feel immersive, I’ll show more.
If I want the story to move faster, I’ll tell more.
Never Use Adverbs?
“Never use adverbs” is another rule that gets repeated constantly.
Before deciding whether to follow it, we should first understand why it exists.
Adverbs are often discouraged because they’re used to prop up weak verbs or because they’re redundant.
For example:
He walked slowly down the street on his broken leg.
There’s nothing technically wrong with the sentence, but is “walked slowly” really the strongest way to describe someone with a broken leg?
You could simply write:
He struggled down the street on his broken leg.
Or:
He trudged down the street on his broken leg.
The verb does more work.
Another example is redundancy.
The man whispered softly.
The word whispered already tells us the speech was soft.
Simply writing:
The man whispered.
creates a stronger sentence.
Kill Your Darlings
“Kill your darlings” is another famous piece of writing advice that’s often misunderstood.
It doesn’t mean removing every sentence you’re proud of.
It means recognizing that sometimes your favorite sentence, paragraph, or scene is actually hurting your story.
If it slows the pacing, distracts from the point, or doesn’t belong, you have to be willing to remove it—even if you love it.
That’s incredibly difficult, but it’s also one of the marks of a mature writer.
So When Should You Break the Rules?
Honestly?
Whenever you want.
Once you understand why a rule exists, you also understand what you’re giving up when you choose to ignore it.
That allows you to make intentional decisions instead of accidental ones.
Writing rules should be tested.
Experiment with them.
Break them.
See what happens.
That’s how you grow.
Don’t Become a Cookie-Cutter Writer
There’s another danger that comes from taking writing rules too literally.
They can turn writers—especially new writers—into cookie-cutter writers.
If everyone follows every rule with absolute strictness, everyone’s writing starts to sound the same.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing when you’re learning.
But eventually your unique voice begins to develop.
As your confidence grows, you’ll naturally start bending rules in ways that fit your style.
That’s one of the ways writers develop their own voice.
Writing Advice Often Contradicts Itself
Another problem is that writing advice constantly contradicts itself.
Some writers insist you absolutely need an outline.
Others say outlining kills creativity.
Personally, I think new writers should use an outline until they become comfortable telling stories. Then they should experiment with writing without one.
Outlines give beginners direction.
Later, you can decide whether they still fit your process.
New Writers Need Guardrails
Every writing rule has exceptions.
Nothing is truly set in stone.
Rules exist to provide structure, but there are countless ways to structure a great story.
As you gain experience, the rules become less important because you’ve already internalized them.
Think about it this way.
New writers need guardrails because they’re still figuring out how storytelling works.
Experienced writers have already absorbed those lessons.
It’s similar to the difference between an amateur chef carefully following a recipe and a professional chef who understands the ingredients well enough to cook without one.
Two Rules That Really Matter
Just because writing rules aren’t commandments doesn’t mean they don’t matter.
There are two principles I think are nearly universal.
1. Write Something Your Audience Will Enjoy
If you’re writing only for yourself, success is simple.
Write something you’re proud of.
If you’re writing for readers, agents, or publishers, your final draft needs to entertain the people you’re writing for.
That sounds obvious, but I don’t think writers think about it as often as they should.
2. Manage Your Expectations
The final “rule” isn’t really a writing rule.
It’s advice.
Your expectations should shape your approach to writing.
If your goal is traditional publishing, you need to write often, read constantly, submit your work repeatedly, and prepare yourself for rejection.
If you plan to self-publish, it’s important to realize that the average book on Amazon sells very few copies.
That’s not meant to discourage you.
It’s meant to help you build realistic expectations.
The writers who stick with this long enough are usually the ones who genuinely love writing.
If you don’t love the process, it’s incredibly difficult to push through the rejection and setbacks that every writer eventually faces.
Final Thoughts
Writing rules aren’t commandments.
They’re tools.
Learn them. Understand why they exist. Practice them until they become second nature.
Then, when the story calls for it, don’t be afraid to break them.
The best writers aren’t the ones who never break the rules—they’re the ones who know exactly why they’re breaking them.
