Writers do more than write

Whether you’re a journalist or a novelist or a poet, the words you put on paper are simply a means to an end. But even with that knowledge, it’s easy to get stuck in the tangled web of rules and standards that are ingrained into our minds from the very moment we enter public education.

I think the best writers, then, are the ones who know the rules but ignore them anyway. Or, at the very least, don't let them get in the way.

Writers do more than put words on paper. They share ideas. They provide experiences. They take us to places we've never been. They enlighten us and inform us and inspire us. The actual writing, the words themselves, are just that: words. It's what they tell us and how we interpret them that really matters.

Hold on a second while I pull out my book of quotes. Where is it…oh, here it is. George S. Patton once said:

“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they’ll surprise you with their ingenuity.”

How writers go about writing does not matter so long as they can effectively reach and move their audiences.

Rules are important for understanding, don't get me wrong, but they are more guidelines than rules, as some pirates would say.