You Say Stop, I Say Go...

I've been working hard on my revisions. At the same time I've been studying "craft". I've come to realize a number of "rules" or "recommendations" that directly contradict each other. And I have to ask myself, why.

For example, I read that I shouldn't use simple words. Instead I should look up other words that aren't so common. On the same page, I read that I shouldn't use words that are too complicated. KISS--Keep It Simple Stupid is written in bold letters. So, what is it? Simple or Uncommon?

I also read that POV shouldn't change much and that it should always be preceded by something indicating a change, such as the popular "***". However, I then read tons of books in which this doesn't occur and I find the shifts in POV perfectly fine.

So, after much agonizing over these matters, I have decided to do what ever I feel like doing. That's not to say I'll go crazy and write "see spot run" books for their simplicity or that I'll draw large diagrams indicating a shift in POV.

I'm simply going to do the best job I can in making my ms readable. Well, not just readable, but attractive to readers. If someone has a problem with the fact that I don't have "***" between each POV, then they don't have to read it.

I think that there are always exceptions to "rules". Especially in fiction. I was always told to NEVER start a sentence with the word "and"--I see it all the time in the books I read.

So, there you go... Now I'm off to delete all of my "***" and to add in a few more "exciting" words. Should be fun.

Cheers,
April