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Understand the rules before breaking them from "summary" of Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin
When you're learning to write, the rules of grammar and syntax can feel like constraints, limiting your creativity and stifling your voice. It's tempting to break free from these rules as soon as possible, to rebel against the "shoulds" and "should nots" that have been drilled into you since grade school. But before you can effectively break the rules, you must first understand them. Grammar and syntax are the tools of your trade, the building blocks of your craft. Just as a carpenter must know how to use a saw and a hammer before they can create a masterpiece, a writer must understand the rules of language before they can effectively bend or break them. Without a solid foundation in grammar and syntax, your writing will lack clarity and coherence, leaving your readers confused and frustrated. By studying the rules of grammar and syntax, you'll learn how to construct sentences that flow smoothly and convey your meaning clearly. You'll understand the difference between a comma splice and a semicolon, between an active voice and a passive voice. This knowledge will ...
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