Normally there are some rules to whatever kind of piece you are writing. So knowing what the "general rules" are for the type of piece you are writing goes a long way to allowing you to make good writing.
For example:
An outline has rules like you start with your Title. Then you do A, B, then tab over and 1, 2, then tab again for a, b, then yet again for i, ii, etc.
So it looks something like this:
Outline Title
A. Jacks of all Trades
B. Court jesters
1 famliy history
2 being funny and still keeping your head
a. things never to say to your king
b. areas that are good for laughs
So that is a sample of what the general rules for an outline are. Bibliographies, Resumes, Cover letters, novels, fiction, non-fiction, they all have a set of "general rules" or guidelines to follow.
An easy thing to do is Google whatever type of piece you are writing + "rules" on the end of your search phrase.
You can also check out:
American Psychological Association Guidelines
Modern Language Association Guidelines
Those are the 2 most often cited guidelines and recommendations followed when creating the basic writing types.
Once you go beyond these rules it gets interesting. You use them as a skeleton for your piece.
Then you add in appropriate elements. FOr an outline it would be things that resonate with you and reminders of what you wanted to cover in the piece the outline covers.
For a novel you would have the basic format and rules about characters and plot and then you make the characters come alive, adding in mystery, intrigue, betrayal and other basic human emotions that compel people and grip your reader into your story.
The more real you make it the better.
Basically, know what the framework is and then jazz it up in a way that will have greatest impact on the intended reader.
That takes you from mediocre, ineffective writer to good/great writer.
For example:
An outline has rules like you start with your Title. Then you do A, B, then tab over and 1, 2, then tab again for a, b, then yet again for i, ii, etc.
So it looks something like this:
Outline Title
A. Jacks of all Trades
B. Court jesters
1 famliy history
2 being funny and still keeping your head
a. things never to say to your king
b. areas that are good for laughs
So that is a sample of what the general rules for an outline are. Bibliographies, Resumes, Cover letters, novels, fiction, non-fiction, they all have a set of "general rules" or guidelines to follow.
An easy thing to do is Google whatever type of piece you are writing + "rules" on the end of your search phrase.
You can also check out:
American Psychological Association Guidelines
Modern Language Association Guidelines
Those are the 2 most often cited guidelines and recommendations followed when creating the basic writing types.
Once you go beyond these rules it gets interesting. You use them as a skeleton for your piece.
Then you add in appropriate elements. FOr an outline it would be things that resonate with you and reminders of what you wanted to cover in the piece the outline covers.
For a novel you would have the basic format and rules about characters and plot and then you make the characters come alive, adding in mystery, intrigue, betrayal and other basic human emotions that compel people and grip your reader into your story.
The more real you make it the better.
Basically, know what the framework is and then jazz it up in a way that will have greatest impact on the intended reader.
That takes you from mediocre, ineffective writer to good/great writer.
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