RULES: Follow 'em, break 'em...or make 'em? by Cathy Ace

How important is grammar and when do you break grammar rules?

Oh my goodness me, grammar. Thanks to the Welsh education system, I took years and years of English Language classes, as well as English Literature classes. 

I loved literature classes; we’d read books, plays and poetry – at home, then, often, again aloud in the classroom – then discuss and critique the works. These were the classes where I fell in love with the words of Shakespeare, Dylan Thomas, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Jane Austen, among others. They allowed me to indulge my joy of reading, and were something I looked forward to every week. It's also worth noting that those writers changed the expected structure, language, grammar, and punctuation of their time to suit their purposes...maybe I was drawn to rule-breakers (and rule-makers) from an early age!

In language classes we plodded through rules. I hate rules. Probably the best lesson of all was the one where our teacher wrote “GHOTI” on the blackboard (yes, I’m that old!) and explained to us how it should be pronounced the same way as “FISH”. (FYI: “GH” as in “cough”; “O” as in “women”; “TI” as in “motion”.) It’s an old ‘un, but a good ‘un…and – to us – it was as fresh as the proverbial daisy, at the time. 

I was being taught at a time when it was no longer fashionable to teach “parts of the language” so the complexities of the language were, never, therefore, defined or named for me in my English Language classes. That joy came in Latin classes, where the poor teacher had to teach us basic grammatical terminology as it pertained to English before we could understand its applications in Latin. I should mention I failed my Latin O level exam (the exam you take at 16 years of age in Wales), and pretty miserably at that. I suspect “amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, amant” was only ever going to get me so far!

Thus, I have to admit I don’t know the correct terminology, let alone the rules, for most parts of the language, and also realize the punctuation I learned back in the 1960s is now somewhat dated. How do I cope? I write and punctuate from the heart, and consider the comments made about those aspects of my writing by my editor/s…then decide if it’s worth arguing the toss, or not. When I read, poor grammar and punctuation can burst my bubble of immersion in the book…the only rule I follow, therefore, is – “Does this work for me/my character?” rather than “Is this grammatically perfect?” I don’t want my grammar or punctuation to break the spell – so I hope my readers can cope with that, and enjoy the story.

Cathy Ace is the Bony Blithe Award-winning author of The Cait Morgan Mysteries and The WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries.  You can find out more about Cathy, her work and her characters at her website, where you can also sign up for her newsletter with news, updates and special offers: http://cathyace.com/

All Hail the Oxford Comma

Q: Grammar – everyone’s gotta do it. How important is grammar and what resources do you use to make sure you’re on top of it? When do you break the rules?

 - from Susan

I was in a writing group once in which one writer had a terrific story idea, a historical setting that was engaging, and a cast of characters we loved. But she was afflicted with the worst case of run on sentence structure I’ve ever seen. And worse, she couldn’t see that, seemed not to know what a run on sentence was or why it bothered the rest of us so much, slapping us out of the narrative she was trying to create. After all, we knew what she meant, right? Eventually she hired a private editor, but he had no more luck and what could have been a successful mystery novel died on the vine. No agent got past the first couple of pages.

So, how important is grammar? Very. Grammar helps us understand what the writer is trying to say, helps frame the thoughts and make sense of the actions being described.  As a staunch proponent of the Oxford comma, I am amazed that contemporary editors and authors are so willing to ignore the perfect case made in Eats, Shoots & Leaves. I stumble over misplaced commas, the lack of them in introductory clauses, the excessive ones sort of thrown in for good measure here and there. (I do that myself sometimes in first drafts and have to be vigilant in exterminating them later.) Some grammar mistakes are so egregious that I’m shocked they made it past an editor, if there even was an editor.

The core of grammar’s importance isn’t perfection. It isn’t being prissy or superior. It’s making sense, communicating precisely what we intend to say. Which is why it’s okay to break the rules on occasion. (Notice I just did?) We use incorrect grammar for emphasis, to break up the monotony of sentence structure, and to add rhythm and style to our writing. We use it in dialogue to help create and reinforce an individual’s character.

Grammar is a writer’s friend. I think it’s more than a practical tool. I believe it’s a paintbrush, a musical instrument, a magic box that can bring a story alive for readers.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, by Lynne Truss 

Better Punctuation in 30 Minutes a Day, by Ceil Cleveland

To Read or Not to Read

How do you pick what book/s you’re going to read? Is it the cover? Awards it’s won. The author. Genre? Word of mouth? Reviews (pro and customer)? Someone you know? Anything else?


By Jim

The very first thing I look for in a book is my name on the cover. If it’s not there, I can tell you I’m pretty disappointed.

Oh, wait. I think I misunderstood the question.

When there’s time, I like to read all different types of books. Usually it depends on my mood, but I love mysteries, thrillers, historicals, so-called literary novels, and of course the classics. I don’t read much non-fiction, unless I’m researching for one of my own books. Neither do I read a lot of romance, fantasy, or science fiction, but I’m open to them. There’s great, good, average, and bad writing in all genres. I don’t like to prejudge. But here we’re talking about how we choose a book, not necessarily what we should read in order to be a well-rounded reader.

In recent years, I’ve read significantly less than I did in my graduate school days. I was forced to read then, and I can tell you that does not make the experience more enjoyable. Nowadays, I read friends’ books, books of note and best-sellers in my genre, and anything else that strikes my fancy. If a favorite writer publishes something new, I’m all for it and will probably buy it right away. The same way I’ll return to a restaurant I’ve enjoyed. I tend to steer clear of the latest fads since I’m a notorious non-joiner.

Do reviewers influence my choice? Not the negative reviews.

I look more at the plot summary than I do the subjective opinion of a reviewer. People have different tastes, so I don’t expect anyone else to react to a book or a film or a dinner the same way I do. Now if a reviewer points out that there are lots of historical errors in the latest volume of the Adventures of a Victorian Dogcatcher series (I call dibs on that title, by the way), I might pay attention. But when a reviewer say s/he dislikes the characters, or that the ending didn’t work for her/him, I might just as easily find myself intrigued and more likely to read it.

The same is true for blurbs. I don’t believe they sell books. They represent someone’s opinion, which I may or may not share after reading the book.

What about awards? Conventional wisdom holds that awards do not drive sales, and I would tend to agree. Unless the award or awards creates a buzz around a book. But a buzz flies dangerously close to being a fad, and you know how I feel about those.



I’ve found that recommendations from my friends—especially writer friends—are the most reliable. Maybe it’s because we read a lot and have gone through the process of creating books ourselves. So when one strikes us as remarkable for any number of reasons, we pay attention. I’ve discovered wonderful writers this way.

Which brings us to covers. Do I ever buy a book for the cover alone? No. But if it’s evocative (and I don’t mean precious or clever), I’ll read the synopsis on the back. I don’t mind plain covers, or fancy ones for that matter, either. But if a cover is going to pull me in, it better not be one of those literary-looking graphical designs with a handwritten title. Not that those books can’t be fine books. It’s just that cover itself won’t attract me.

(Photo removed)

https://www.amazon.com/Mondays-Lie-Jamie-Mason/dp/1476774463/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1510199356&sr=1-1

Now THIS is a great cover. And a great book.

So what attracts me to a book?  Basically, it’s my mood at the time, a great cover, or the advice of a friend. Or, failing all else, if it has my name on it.

What to read next?

by Dietrich Kalteis

READING: How do you pick what book/s you’re going to read? Is it the cover? Awards it’s won. The author. Genre? Word of mouth? Reviews (pro and customer)? Someone you know? Anything else?

When I walk into a bookstore, it’s the book’s cover that first grabs me. I was in the graphics industry for a long time, so I’m a sucker for good cover designs. But what tops the design, is who wrote the book. When the next Carl Hiaasen, James Ellroy or Don Winslow hits the shelves, I’ll be at the book store, and it doesn’t matter much what the cover looks like.

Sometimes I pick a book on the recommendation of friends and fellow writers, those who like the same kind of books. Then there are the folks at my local indie book shop. It’s not that I have anything against the big box stores, I just like to walk into my local store where I know the people working there, and they know the kind of books I like. Here in Vancouver we’re lucky to have shops like White Dwarf/Dead Write Books, Book Warehouse, Pulpfiction Books and 32 Books. It’s one of my favorite things to do – walk in, pick up one that catches my eye and check it out.

Sam Wiebe, Walter Sinclair and me at White Dwarf/Dead Write Books.

Awards and nominations are wonderful for the author. They get the writer some deserved attention, especially when that author keeps winning them. And that can make me curious about an author’s work.

Sometimes it’s my mood. When my days are busy, I might opt for a quick, light read, perhaps a Robert B. Parker novel I haven’t read yet. Or something funny by Carl Hiaasen or Terry Fallis. Other times I might go for a classic I’ve been meaning to reread, maybe Ken Kesey or John Steinbeck. Other times I go for something new, somebody I haven’t read before. Or I pick one that I’ve been meaning to read, like Sam Wiebe’s Invisible Dead which I’m reading now. And once in a while I feel like reading a novel in German. Since there are more books than there is time to read them, I try to be choosy about what I read. If a book doesn’t light me up in the opening pages, I’ll put it back on the shelf, and look for something else.

I love a good crime novel, but I like to read outside the genre too. And I’ll read just about anything if the author’s got a strong voice. I just finished Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk — what an awesome voice, and the kind of book that leaves me looking forward to reading more of his work.

Sometimes a review gets me curious about a book. I follow the reviewers who lean towards the kind of books I like. For crime fiction reviews online there’s Col’s Criminal Library, Crime Fiction Lover, Detectives Beyond Borders, The House of Crime and Mystery, the Interrogation Room and  Crimespree Magazine. And many dailies run regular book reviews and there review publications like Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Bloomsbury and more.

Sometimes I learn about a new author at a book event. Events like Noir at the Bar, an author’s book launch, panel discussions at conferences and readings at festivals are good ways to get to know an author’s work. And they are great ways to get a signed copy and an opportunity to meet the author. I’m reading Red Snow by Michael Slade who I was lucky to have read at our latest Vancouver Noir at the Bar. When I’m traveling to festivals or conferences I’ve had to learn to refrain from stuffing my suitcase with books till it feels full of cinder blocks. Not to mention, that leads to shelves full of books waiting to be read at home, but I intend to read them all – one book at a time.

Choosing What you Read

Terry Shames weighing in on choosing books:

This was the topic of a lively Goodreads conversation I recently participated in. What I discovered was a big surprise.

A lot of people in the self-selected discussion group said they choose books by the cover. I would never have guessed that. I thought people would choose by recommendations from friends, by books that have won awards, or from reviews.

Many said they ignored reviews and blurbs because they thought those were manipulated. They figured that the author knew the person blurbing or reviewing their books, and therefore it wasn’t really valid. That suspicion even applied to trade reviews. People speculated that publishers have an “in” with trade review publications.

                  Come on! Is this a manipulated review?:

“…still, like a good shade tree mechanic, (Craddock) gets the job done."

-Publishers Weekly, August 4, 2014

This means to me that the publishing industry is not doing enough to let people know that trade reviews are largely outside their influence.

But is that true? Certainly my publicist seems to hold her breath when reviews are due. Will the review be positive or unenthusiastic? I’m with a small-medium publisher. Do books from the Big 5 publishers get a more lenient look from reviewers? I don’t know. But I do know that whatever the review is overall, the publicist picks out the best line of the review to promote the book. Stands to reason.

There may be reason to suspect that some blurbs are meaningless. Some big name authors seem to blurb indiscriminately, always with superlatives, like “Dynamite!” Do they actually read every one of the books they blurb? The authors I ask to do blurbs for me seem to read the whole book, but there’s no way to signal readers that one blurb may be any more valid than another.

I was also surprised to find that readers didn’t depend on word of mouth. I personally will pay attention to advice from fellow readers, especially if I know they like the same books I do.

As for choosing by cover, I actually think it’s a good idea. The cover can tell you a lot:

1)     The general sub-genre. I don’t read many cozies. If a cover has a picture of a kitchen with a pan of muffins, I know it’s probably not going to be for me. But that same cover will tell cozy readers that it’s perfect for them. If a book cover features a picture of a bulked up man with a gun, I figure it’s probably going to be a thriller, so I’ll read the teaser on the back cover to find out more.

2)     Regarding the “teaser:” When we say “cover” we automatically think of the front of the book, but the back cover usually has a short description of the story. That’s why it’s so important for writers to come up with a good grabber in that back cover copy.

3)     The cover also has the name of the book. How many “Girl” book covers were sold after Gone Girl? Some titles leave me cold, while others are intriguing and I can’t really say why. This is why authors and publishers spend enormous and energy on titles.

4)     The author’s name. Have I read the author before? Have I heard of her? Most readers said the author’s name only mattered if he or she was a “big” name.

The other thing I do when choosing a book is read a few passages. I’ll read the first page or two, and if it looks like the writer knows how to put together sentences, I’ll turn to an interior page and sample more.

So if I were to give advice to someone who wants to sell books, I’d say first write a good book. Then be really careful to make sure the cover is eye-catching, the title intriguing, the cover copy snappy….and change your name to Lee Child.