Grammar rules that you're probably breaking, but you just don't care...

[TarnishedPenny]

FV - no argument whatever.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

Fragments. For emphasis of course.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

Fragments. For emphasis of course.

Oh, a well timed fragment can be so hot when properly utilized.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

Oh, a well timed fragment can be so hot when properly utilized.

They're funny too.

 

[Duleigh]

A friend and fellow author recently referred to me as: "Lady M of Literotica, Abuser of Ellipsis', Great Penswoman of most Heinous Fornication, Champion of Femdom."

That lofty title got me thinking, yeah... I really do abuse the shit out of the ellipsis... I love using it... and abusing it...

I'm sure I use it in tons of instances when it isn't necessary... And I'm sure I won't stop...

Do any of you have grammar rules that you refuse to abide by? View attachment 2248887

Using the ellipsis a lot isn't abuse, used in a statement it shows hesitation when speaking. Nothing wrong with that in a emotionally charged situation. Other than that they're used to show missing text which we try to avoid when writing a story.

It's exclamation marks I have to worry about:

Five exclamation marks, the sure sign of an insane mind. - Terry Pratchett

 

[MediocreAuthor]

Heheheh, it’s the cutest typo in existence too!

I pretty much buck all the traditional rules of writing, but you already know my use of the comma is wild and out of control and I am more than generous with adverbs. With your help beta reading and editing I’ve gotten a much better handle on it, so kudos to you, lovely! I’m also generous with the ellipsis and em dash, as well as use of italics and bold.

Reading your work has left me spending much more time considering the use of complex descriptions, (I can't possibly hope to match your skill in that area, but I am improving).

I think ultimately the best parts of your writing are rubbing off on me, and vice versa. I don't overuse em dashes, simply because I make the poor ellipsis work double duty, doing the job for both

 

[Cagivagurl]

A friend and fellow author recently referred to me as: "Lady M of Literotica, Abuser of Ellipsis', Great Penswoman of most Heinous Fornication, Champion of Femdom."

That lofty title got me thinking, yeah... I really do abuse the shit out of the ellipsis... I love using it... and abusing it...

I'm sure I use it in tons of instances when it isn't necessary... And I'm sure I won't stop...

Do any of you have grammar rules that you refuse to abide by? View attachment 2248887

If there is a grammatical rule... Then I've broken it...
Rules of grammar, do they matter? For me, when I read I ignore broken rules. So long as th story is readable. Then I ignore everything but the story.
Spelling mistakes... Don't care.
Comma in the wrong place... Don't care.
For me, the most important thing is th story within. So long as it holds my attention, arouses or excites me. Then I'm all in.
I know grammar is important, but if you're finding fault, then you're probably on the wrong site...

Cagivagurl

 

[SeraphNocturne]

Reading your work has left me spending much more time considering the use of complex descriptions, (I can't possibly hope to match your skill in that area, but I am improving).

I think ultimately the best parts of your writing are rubbing off on me, and vice versa. I don't overuse em dashes, simply because I make the poor ellipsis work double duty, doing the job for both

I handle writing as I do canvases… I’m painting, just with a keyboard instead of a brush. I like heavily illustrating a mental image, so there’s no such thing as overly descriptive to me. Of course my abuse of adverbs is another matter.

I find a sparse, technical style with rigid grammar and punctuation reads more like an essay than exciting erotic fiction… it can be a bit cookie cutter and boring if writers stick too heavily to execution and don’t let their style flow freely. Makes a lot of stories here just blend together.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

I find a sparse, technical style with rigid grammar and punctuation reads more like an essay than exciting erotic fiction… it can be a bit cookie cutter and boring if writers stick too heavily to execution and don’t let their style flow freely. Makes a lot of stories here just blend together.

How dare you insult me, and my erotic college essays?!?

 

[SeraphNocturne]

View attachment 2249003

How dare you insult me, and my erotic college essays?!?

You’re not among those writers dear, you put a lot of thought into dialogue and character creation. I don’t feel like all of your stories read the same, I can separate your characters and plot from everyone else’s… you’ve got a wonderful style, and no, I don’t think it’s too sparse at all.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

If there is a grammatical rule... Then I've broken it...

To me, grammar is just something to help me convey an idea consistently to the most people. I will break it in anyway I think is necessary.


G̸͍͇̖͆̓Ř̷̤͉̗̫͝͝Á̸͇̗̘̗̭͜ͅM̶̺͉̰̹̥̱̐͑͋͑͜M̶̡̱͖̝̗̦̎͜Ä̷̭̭̰̻͇́ͅR̶̹͚̯̩̼͐̏̈́̾̉͑ ̷̞̥̂̈͋̂Ŗ̴̧̰̫̦̔̊͜ͅŪ̴̢͇̞̝̙̹̥̑̈́͊͂L̷̞͙͔͎͂̓̊̍E̶̡͍̳̟̦̲̬͗̎̍̋̏͌͝S̶̗̻̲̺̪̗̜̽̓̈̋ ̸̧̝̬͙̩͑̒͛̿B̷̛͖̫̓̈̈̏̃̌E̴̛̥͌̍́͌ ̵̧͚͈̾D̸̡̔͆A̷̗͔̐̾M̶̡̬̪̝̄̎͑̑̈͊ͅͅͅṊ̶̞͙̈́̀͛̾E̷̢̫̼͓͙̼͉̍̉̑̇D̶͖̜̞̼̙̩̟̄̅̈͒͛̚ ̸̡̖͇͎̟͈͈̈́̈́̅́͝

 

[ElectricBlue]

To me, grammar is just something to help me convey an idea consistently to the most people. I will break it in anyway I think is necessary.


G̸͍͇̖͆̓Ř̷̤͉̗̫͝͝Á̸͇̗̘̗̭͜ͅM̶̺͉̰̹̥̱̐͑͋͑͜M̶̡̱͖̝̗̦̎͜Ä̷̭̭̰̻͇́ͅR̶̹͚̯̩̼͐̏̈́̾̉͑ ̷̞̥̂̈͋̂Ŗ̴̧̰̫̦̔̊͜ͅŪ̴̢͇̞̝̙̹̥̑̈́͊͂L̷̞͙͔͎͂̓̊̍E̶̡͍̳̟̦̲̬͗̎̍̋̏͌͝S̶̗̻̲̺̪̗̜̽̓̈̋ ̸̧̝̬͙̩͑̒͛̿B̷̛͖̫̓̈̈̏̃̌E̴̛̥͌̍́͌ ̵̧͚͈̾D̸̡̔͆A̷̗͔̐̾M̶̡̬̪̝̄̎͑̑̈͊ͅͅͅṊ̶̞͙̈́̀͛̾E̷̢̫̼͓͙̼͉̍̉̑̇D̶͖̜̞̼̙̩̟̄̅̈͒͛̚ ̸̡̖͇͎̟͈͈̈́̈́̅́͝

Did you sign up for that stone mason's course?

You'll be sky-writing next, and expecting the weather to be the same all over the world.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

https://media.tenor.com/nkTk-B2MXWMAAAAC/once-upon-a-time-ouat.gif

 

[MrPixel]

It's exclamation marks I have to worry about...

I've adopted a hard and fast rule about bangs - one, or three. Three generally trails a fragment, typically somebody's name in all caps and italics, when they're being yelled at. And sometimes not in a good way, as in "I don't fucking believe you said that!!!"

 

[MrPixel]

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Dammit. You stole my secure password.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

Did you sign up for that stone mason's course?

You'll be sky-writing next, and expecting the weather to be the same all over the world.

H̷e̸y̶,̴ ̷f̸o̵l̵k̶s̸,̴ ̶j̸u̵s̴t̷ ̴r̶e̶m̷e̴m̵b̵e̷r̸,̶ ̴i̶f̷ ̸y̴o̷u̷ ̷w̴a̶n̵n̵a̴ ̴s̷a̴y̵ ̵s̸o̴m̶e̶t̶h̶i̵n̸g̸ ̷t̵h̴a̷t̴ ̷E̷l̶e̶c̷t̵r̶i̴c̷b̸l̷u̷e̶ ̵c̷a̵n̴'̷t̴ ̴r̵e̷a̵d̴,̶ ̶j̷u̴s̸t̸ ̶w̸r̶i̶t̸e̷ ̴i̸t̷ ̵l̴i̴k̸e̶ ̵t̸h̸i̴s̶.̷

It's like spelling things out in front of a dog. Or using ReCAPTCHA to confuse a robot.
Wait... Electricblue66, you aren't a robot, are you?

THIS STATEMENT IS FALSE!!

(If he never responds, we know that the paradox destroyed his robot brain)

 

[AwkwardlySet]

What is grammar?

 

[MediocreAuthor]

What is grammar?

♫Baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. No more.♫

 

[AwkwardlySet]

♫Baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. No more.♫

Sounds like the beginning of a non-con story

 

[MediocreAuthor]

Sounds like the beginning of a non-con story

Don't give me any ideas, please... Seriously... I have too many as it is

 

[ElectricBlue]

H̷e̸y̶,̴ ̷f̸o̵l̵k̶s̸,̴ ̶j̸u̵s̴t̷ ̴r̶e̶m̷e̴m̵b̵e̷r̸,̶ ̴i̶f̷ ̸y̴o̷u̷ ̷w̴a̶n̵n̵a̴ ̴s̷a̴y̵ ̵s̸o̴m̶e̶t̶h̶i̵n̸g̸ ̷t̵h̴a̷t̴ ̷E̷l̶e̶c̷t̵r̶i̴c̷b̸l̷u̷e̶ ̵c̷a̵n̴'̷t̴ ̴r̵e̷a̵d̴,̶ ̶j̷u̴s̸t̸ ̶w̸r̶i̶t̸e̷ ̴i̸t̷ ̵l̴i̴k̸e̶ ̵t̸h̸i̴s̶.̷

It's like spelling things out in front of a dog. Or using ReCAPTCHA to confuse a robot.
Wait... Electricblue66, you aren't a robot, are you?

THIS STATEMENT IS FALSE!!

(If he never responds, we know that the paradox destroyed his robot brain)

EB looked closely at MA's rune carving.

You should use a finer chisel, it gives a neater edge .

 

[Duleigh]

I've adopted a hard and fast rule about bangs - one, or three. Three generally trails a fragment, typically somebody's name in all caps and italics, when they're being yelled at. And sometimes not in a good way, as in "I don't fucking believe you said that!!!"

My Demandment is no more than 2 exclamation marks per 20,000 words

 

[butters]

most people use the en and em dashes incorrectly

I use the ellipses to indicate a trailing thought or speech that pauses for a while as if the speaker is thinking about something, as in "I wonder if he...no, he never said anything like that."

I use the em dash to indicate a sudden change in what the speaker is saying, as in "It can't be that - Oh my God, that's exactly why it is."

What you've just used above is an en dash; if you are using it in British style, then you're using it correctly (an en dash with a space either side in place of an em dash) but if using American styling then you should be using the proper em dash, no spacings. The em dash has gained a great deal in popularity lately and is most commonly used. Newspapers have their own way of using it, which includes spaces either side of the longer dash, no doubt for a clearer visual for readers.
The en dash is used to mark ranges and with the meaning “to” in phrases like “Dover–Calais crossing.” The em dash is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence123.Here are some examples of correct usage2:

• Em dashes emphasize extra information in a sentence. In many cases, they can replace parentheses, colons, and commas.
• En dashes represent a range between numbers, dates, and times, and establish a relationship between words and ideas.

for anyone interested, an em dash can be typed using Alt+0151

I've definitely overused ellipses in the past, drop the majority of punctuation and caps when writing poetry, using them only when absolutely necessary. My husband, HarryHill, breaks the mould when it comes to apostrophes and it drives me bananas

 

[MediocreAuthor]

My Demandment is no more than 2 exclamation marks per 20,000 words

Damn, Duleigh! By that logic, none of my stories could have more than 2 exclamation points each?!


Unacceptable!!! Unacceptable, I say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[XerXesXu]

What is grammar?

It's what you learn in the first 3 years of life - the rules of how to use words to communicate in your native language. Style and punctuation are what you're taught at school. Different schools, different rules. They'll also change as the purpose of your writing and the medium in which you write change. In creative writing, you're expected to use stylistic rules creatively.