Our hosts this month are Beth Camp, Jean Davis, Yvonne Ventresca, and PJ Colando.
Our question this month has to do with school and English rules: Since it's back to school time, let's talk English class. What's a writing rule you learned in school that messed you up as a writer?
I didn't learn these rules in creative writing classes, but from writing books. The two rules I would put here would be to avoid adverbs and "said-bookisms" (other words to use besides "said"). I think these rules are writer rules, not necessarily something the average reader would consciously notice. I don't avoid adverbs completely; instead, I tend to use them to achieve the right nuance, or to push against the verb that's being modified.
I will admit that I'm more hesitant to use said-bookisms. To me, they can draw attention to themselves, especially if they're not physically possible or if several of them are used in a row. I prefer to use physical actions or descriptions to identify the speaker to break up a list of "saids," That said (pun intended), I'm experimenting a bit more with said-bookisms and adverbs lately. As long as they're used in moderation, they are useful writing tools. I think once you have a certain level of writing experience, you can tell when to use adverbs and said-bookisms and when not to.
What writing rules have you had to unlearn? Feel free to share them in the comments.