The Myth of Anything Goes

How not to mistake innovation for carelessness

I listen a lot. I listen to clients share their deepest struggles. I listen to students ask their most pressing questions. I listen to strangers open up about their dreams and the stories they want to tell after they learn I work in publishing.

I am in Facebook groups, on Reddit, on social media. I meet people in bookstores and in line at the grocery store. And whenever the topic of writing comes up, people bring strong opinions.

Those opinions cover everything from the business of writing, the state of the publishing as an industry, and the struggles of producing creative work as a way to earn a living. And so much of what I hear is absolute crap.

I would like to share the top, and I mean the #1 myth that I have heard from many, many people in many different places about what it takes to be a successful writer. That myth is this:

DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.

Sometimes, that advice sounds like this:

IT’S YOUR STORY. TELL IT HOWEVER YOU BELIEVE YOU SHOULD.

And:

IT DOESN’T MATTER. YOUR READERS WILL SUPPORT YOU.

Friends, I’m not here to tell you there is only one right way to write, edit, publish, or market a book. In fact, if you want to innovate, do things that defy the conventional norms, I applaud you. Publishing, like most businesses, is a for-profit endeavor. Whether you self-publish, contract with a small press, or have the backing of a major publishing house, everyone involved in the process is there to make money.

Now let me back up ten steps and re-emphasize my point. There are MANY ways to write, market, and publish successfully. And by successfully, I mean profitably, whether that means breaking even on your cover and editing costs or hitting six and even seven figures in sales.

Should you write to market? Writing to market can be a very efficient ways for authors who want to launch career brands to find a foothold in a niche or sub-genre and strike while the iron is hot. Do you have to write highly erotic why choose romance because it’s “big” right now? No, of course not.

Do you have to write YA fantasy with dragons because, well, Fourth Wing! No, of course not.

When it comes to the reader’s appetite, you can and should write to market if that’s where your goals lead you. If you want to write the story of your heart regardless even if that means only your mother will read it, then by all means—do it. You’re informed. You know your goals. And you are entitled to make your own decisions.

What I cannot stand by and accept, though, is an “anything goes” attitude with respect to the work product.

Here are a few examples of real issues that I’ve engaged with authors on in just the past two weeks.

Is there a “right” way to format time in my book? 8am or 8 AM or something like that?

Is there a “right” way to format time internal thoughts in my book? Should I use quotations AND italics?

Is there a “right” way to write romance novel point of view? I really want to include all the side characters points of view so I’m thinking of writing in omni POV.

Is there a “right” way to format dialogue in my book? Should I use single quotations or just use multiple spaces to separate the spoken parts from the rest?

And what do you think the overwhelming majority of people in the room said in response to all of these?

It doesn’t matter.

Pick one way and be consistent.

It’s your book—write however you want!

Grammar and style conventions may not seem like soul-crushing issues. But it’s simply not true that things like formatting time and dialogue and internal thoughts don’t matter. Innovation in content—being creative about the story you tell, the way you tell it—is absolutely critical for a vibrant and diverse creative community. And in some spaces, such as literary fiction or poetry, readers accept deviations in style, structure, and formatting.

But what makes commercial fiction—genre fiction—what it is by nature is the fact that these works fit a reader’s expectations.

The conventions of the genre were not developed to hold back a writer’s creativity.

They were developed to ease the reading experience for the consumer.

I am glad that authors ask these questions. I, along with many other experienced writers and editors, offer guidance and advice on these topics freely. I’m more than happy to explain the style and usage rules to anyone who asks. I do that because I understand that education and training in these topics are specialized. The barrier to entry in publishing is high. I had to work a 9-5 corporate job for more than a decade WHILE I taught, edited, and wrote evenings, weekends, early mornings, over holidays, and on lunch breaks. Making a full-time living in publishing or any creative space is nearly impossible without privileges that many will never have access to.

I give away time and resources every single day of my work life for this reason. I can’t write a bestselling book for you, but if I can take a few minutes out of my day to demystify a style rule or a genre convention, I will do what I can to support authors without the education, training, and experience I have.

When I hear people say, “It doesn’t matter. Do what you want!” I see this not as bold statement of self-confidence or a powerful commitment to innovation. Many authors in the contemporary publishing market simply don’t want to invest time and energy into understanding the mechanics of the business. For many, it may be because they can’t afford editing or writing courses. That’s precisely why community is so important. There is ALWAYS someone available to give free, reliable information if you’re willing to look for it.

It’s the same people who think that “anything goes” who eventually come to me privately, discouraged, angry, and defeated wondering why their books don’t sell. Why they’ve received rejection after rejection from agents. Why they receive low reviews and can’t seem to move ahead in their careers despite all their best efforts.

To those authors, I always share this: the basic foundations of craft are a necessity. Not because publishing is full of rigid elitists. Because writers, whether they like to think of their work this way or not, are businesses creating products for a retail consumer. Those consumers are readers. And while not all readers will care whether you write 8 AM or 8 am or 8a.m. or eight AM, many will. And while not all readers will get lost if you deviate from standard dialogue formatting, many will.

Who are you writing for? The many readers who want to purchase your book and experience your story? Or a handful who will be willing to work to understand your content, even if it’s unclear, unedited, or poorly executed?

Here’s my firm belief, and it bears repeating. There are many right ways to tell a story. There are many great ideas and new formats and challenging structures that should be available for readers to consume. But pick your battles, friend. Understand the rules so you can play the game and play it better. If you want to innovate, do your own thing, and go your own way, please do! The world may very well need your inspiration! But you can’t fight a battle on every front. If you want to do something beautiful and new and unique, understand the fundamentals. Correctly format dialogue. Use punctuation marks and proper grammar when appropriate.

Know the difference between not caring enough to be informed and understanding the market space you plan to compete within and making an informed decision.

Are there questions that you have about publishing? Copyediting? Novel structure? Memoir writing? I’d love to help. Ask me anything in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer timely. Believe me, if you have an exciting idea that sounds a little off the path, I’ll be your cheerleader. I want diverse structures and stories and people in publishing, and I want to help share that with the world. But let’s not debate the stuff that’s there simply to help a reader NOT get lost of confused. When I wake up at eight a.m. and think to myself, I wonder what wonky questions about publishing will I answer today, I hope I don’t have to explain that, “Yes, omni POV has fallen out of favor in romance over the last ten years. Many publishers won’t accept omni, even if it is well done.”

See what I did there? 😁 When it comes to dancing with friends, sure, anything goes. But even hobbyist writers can improve their readership, profitability, and their own satisfaction with the work by understanding the difference between carelessness and caring.