On Writing

I found that there are many different books and opinions on writing. Structure, formatting, rules to follow, rules to break, more rules and rules you should never break, then you see or read someone breaking them.

The best rule, that seems to work across the board of formats and structures is: Always write for your audience.

This one seems the best to follow as, unless it's your diary, your always writing something that other people need to be able to at least follow.

That is to say, it's fine if your audience changes while in the "Creative Process" of writing. You may start writing a horror/thriller but instead it takes a natural progression into a romantic comedy. This is fine and a writer can often discover new and exciting stories by allowing this to happen. But always reassess who your audience is.

Is it mothers telling their daughters to see or read your story? Is it boyfriends dragging along their girlfriends to the film? Is it the other way around? Is it teens, tweens or little kids? Are you aiming at family's, couples (young or old)?

Keeping this in mind will often determine the action of character and the plot of your story. Does the protagonist kill the love interest? Does the love interest even exist? Most of the time yes, that's just drama for you... But is there going to be a fight scene with lots of blood and martial arts and swords? How old are your characters?

I have found it frustrating to watch, when a film doesn't know who it's intended audience is or if it's intended audience is quite specific, the action and characters don't fit or relate to the intended audience. The story doesn't work and the film is passed by.

Of course, as mentioned at the start, there are rules and rules get broken all the time. If you know your audience at least it's a good place to start.