Boldly

Star Trek

Okay, okay, so it technically started out as a television show... But I might as well count television in the series, so I'm going with it.

There's one phrase that epitomizes Star Trek, in my opinion:

To Boldly Go

We all recognize it, even if we haven't seen the show or the movie (I hope). But do you realize that it breaks a grammar rule?

It's a split infinitive. Which is just one of a few grammar rules I'm about to tell you are okay to break.

1. Split Infinitives

 See, the whole "never split an infinitive" rule comes from Latin. However, in Latin, it's impossible to split and infinitive because infinitives are only one word.

What the heck?

It doesn't make any sense. The rule is one that I believe should really be thrown out the window anyway, so go ahead and break it. Nobody boycotted Star Trek because Gene Roddenberry split his infinitive, and nobody will boycott you either. Promise. 

2. Commas

Cormac McCarthy, author of "The Road," didn't like commas. He didn't use them. Ever. He thought that they cluttered the page and made it harder to read.

You're allowed to do that too, if you want. Obviously, I like commas. I use them too often. But, I appreciate writers who don't use them. Honestly, many times I wish I could be like that.

Boycott commas!

3. Weeeeeeird Spellings

Sometimes when our characters are talking, they want to say weird crap that doesn't come out looking like English. Many editors would say that this is a bad thing, and that we should clean up their speech so it's easier to understand.

I say, if they're hard to understand, make em hard to understand. It'll put your reader deeper into your story, and it'll probably be more fun to write.


But these aren't the only rules you're allowed to break. Feel free to break any and all of them -- we have that creative liberty. People like to see new and interesting things in writing, and who knows, maybe you'll be the one to start a new trend!

All I'm asking is that you please not shorten though and through to tho and thru. Why? Because those two literally make me cringe.

And I don't even know why.

[love]

{RD}