Like it or not, I do what I want

I'm talking about my novel. When I told my friend about my original concept for the thriller, she screamed, 'No, you can't do that. I hate it! It's like having a character wake up from a dream!'
If there's one rule, then it is to not mess with a reader, if they feel cheated, they will be unhappy. 
To be honest, I can't remember the exact plans I had, but I'm sure it involved my character writing a book in which she basically tortured and killed off the characters, and in the end, she'd put the pen down and smile. I found it rather suitable, since it's basically what I'm doing and the characters won't suffer any less. Just that it's a book in a book. I had a really good brain storming session with someone yesterday, who wasn't sure about the idea either. Yet, the more I think about it, the more I love it. And the way I'm doing it, means the reader knows exactly what's going on, like in Inception, which was a massive hit. If well done, the reader will quickly be in the story and only be reminded at the very end.


When my friend rejected my concept, it shot a massive hole in my creativity and I couldn't write for weeks. Things like that, you know? My problem was how to integrate the first character, which is the real heroine, but takes a backseat after the prologue and doesn't appear anymore until the very end. I have thought back and forth and whatnot to find a solution to that problem, but to no avail. I can be stubborn as mule when it comes to concepts and plotting. Once I fall in love with something, it's hard to convince me otherwise. The fact that I struggled so much means I had doubts, but not anymore. I like breaking the rules. If someone says you can't do that, I'm all the more determined to do it, but to do it effectively.

I want that the reader is sucked into the story and forget that it's just a book in the book, and feels for the three MCs who'll go through hell and never come back. Since it's my revenge on my former neighbours, I can't save any of them. Normally you'd have the good win over the bad in a thriller, wouldn't you? Which means, they would need to survive, maybe be better people after that experience. But I don't want that. I want them dead! Oh, nasty me. I want that Karma hits them hard, which, in that novel, it does. I'll also leave the ending open and a bit mysterious, so the reader can decide if it really happened or not.

After breaking through that beast of a brick wall, I'm much  more confident finishing the novel until the 31st of July. 15k to go and that hopefully all guns blazing.

Wish me luck. :-)

Break the rules, but break them effectively.

Writers get told to follow the rules. Rules in this case being proven guidelines of what works and what doesn't for an unsuspecting reader. I've come to learn that they are rather helpful, especially for new writers. Once you are acquainted with them and have successfully written your book(s) applying the rules, you are ready to break them.
To be clear, I'm not talking about grammar like syntax or tense. If they are used wrongly, it could be a rather odd read, dialogue being the exception. If the character isn't a native English speaker, it should reflect, as well as when a character isn't as well educated.
No, I'm talking about the more advanced writing, about the author who tries to experiment with different ideas and styles. As many of you know, my short stories are in second person point of view, which many writers said is a big no no. I shrugged and let the public -- the readers -- decide. Not one complaint in over 4k sales.
Others will say head hopping should be avoided. Why? If done well, you won't even notice it. I know of a bloke who experiments with punctuation, or better the lack of it -- mainly the speech marks. That's brave and difficult to pull off. Haven't read the book yet, but will try a sample to see if it works for me. Readers have complained. A lot. Probably a sign that he didn't pull it off well enough. Or maybe they weren't open to it.
My opinion: if you break the rules, be consistent throughout the book. It should be easy to adapt to and made enjoyable. 
I had a conversation with one of my Twitter friends, who said he's a minimalist when using commas. When I read a sample of one of his books, the absence of commas before names in direct speech irritated me, so much, that I'm confident I wouldn't be able to read one of his books. Nothing to do with the quality, but I just hate this particular comma not being where it belongs. I know you can see from the sentence if it needs a comma or not. (Age old: 'Let's eat grandma' vs. 'Let's eat, grandma'), but if you use it in one case and not so in another, it would make an inconsistent use. To me, that is. But what if other readers think the same? Is it really worth it to compromise this little comma?
But if breaking the rules means being inconsistent, then it might be the wrong way of breaking them. Those readers who don't know that the author intentionally omitted them, will think s/he doesn't know any better and might dismiss the author as unprofessional.

What do you think as a reader, do you mind?
For authors: Did you break rules?
Why did you do it?
Did you receive complaints, praise?
Would you do it again?

I love similes and metaphors

When used in moderation, that is. I've recently started to edit my literary fiction novel and because I haven't touched it since I finished in May, I stumble over one or the other surprise. I admit, that I wrote most of the book when I had too much wine, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe for my liver, but certainly not for the book. Fear not, I didn't make a habit of it, that book, though, seemed to require drastic measures.

I challenged myself with that novel. When I re-read the part I wrote the night before, I was amazed what I came up with. And it was often hard to write, but I loved every minute of it. I also learned that I've got a knack for similes and metaphors, something I never knew I had in me. To me literary fiction is beautiful prose, character driven, rather than plot driven; it's letting the reader look at a person from a different angle. Not necessarily unreadable, which many books in this genre are. I like it simple and want to prove that you can produce a readable novel when breaking all the rules there are. And yes, I use similes and metaphors in it, not too many, they're neatly fitted without overpowering the rest.

Here are a few examples:

Finally the tiredness overcomes you and for the last time tonight, before you close your eyes, a shadow of unease reaches out, hoping for a ride into your dreams.

You like to play with emotions, possibilities, meanings. With sentences, skilfully built as they appear on screen as beautiful as rainbows against the grey sky. Each word a different colour.

Then, there's reading; letters that form sentences, sentences that touch your feelings, being transferred into the depth of your mind while your eyes scan each and every word twice, searching for a deeper meaning.

Now, that the sun is gone, the chill wraps around you like a cold blanket. 

She's like a figure behind frosted glass, showing shades and shapes, but never gives a clear vision of what's behind.

And another passage:

The blue sky has made way for a wide range of grey. Soft warm raindrops fall onto your face, soak through your shirt. In general, you love the summer rain, to sit underneath a roof or window and hear its harmonious drumming. It's the time when you write, a whiskey to one side and an ashtray filled with cigarette butts to the other. No music, as it would distract from the rhythm dictating the tempo of your synapses' transmitting. On days like that you feel free of all your commitments. A man who is one with himself, a soul at peace and a light mind, without the ballast of everyday life; your brain pleased to receive the exercise it so desperately needs. 
  

The novel is written in second person, present tense, the characters are not named and the reader is mostly in the male MC's head. As soon as I'm finished with revamping the novel, I'll have a few other Beta readers who have expressed interest. Wish me luck. The novel is written in second person, present tense, the characters are not named and the reader is mostly in the male MC's head. As soon as I'm finished with revamping the novel, I'll have a few other Beta readers who have expressed interest. Wish me luck.

Oh and you'll find a slightly longer excerpt here: