The “rules” for writing speculative fiction are very much in the eye of the beholder. Yes, admittedly, there is a consistent body of wisdom setting broad parameters for the genre and its tropes. Yet even among the most successful authors, there is a wide range of strongly-held opinions.

A famous example on the topic of adverbs:

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” ~ Stephen King

“Adverbs and adjectives are rich and good and nourishing. They add colour, life, immediacy.” ~ Ursula K. Le Guin

So, which expert’s advice do you take?

The same can also be true for the age-old conundrum when approaching a new writing project: to plan, or not to plan?

Many writers and writing instructors insist you map out the structure, story-line, and characters before writing a single sentence of your book.

Others advocate sitting down with a blank piece of paper (or a blank laptop screen), and simply begin writing and “see what comes out.” A famous quote for this approach is widely attributed to Terry Pratchett:

“The first draft is just you telling the story to yourself.”

Elizabeth Lyon, author of A Writer’s Guide to Fiction, has a markedly different view. “Perhaps some writers believe that preparation or structure will stifle creativity . . . I can understand their choice—and predict their failure.”

So, again, which expert’s advice do you follow?

When I decided to revisit my roots as a speculative fiction author (and having just read Stephen King’s On Writing), I thought it would be a fun challenge to “tell myself the story” first. It was fun. And creative.

And a huge, heaping pile of hard work in subsequent drafts, as I wrestled with “telling other people the story.”

I’ve tried—really, I have—to create the character grids, the outlines, the story maps. Yet, as I begin the actual writing, the “map” ends up resembling Captain Barbossa’s interpretation of the Pirates’ Code:

“It’s more what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules.”

That’s why it’s “creative” writing—it seems to have a mind of its own. It’s in an author’s best interest to understand what the rules are—and the why behind them—but they needn’t become a straitjacket on creativity.

What’s important to remember is this:

“First drafts don’t have to be perfect, they just have to be written.” ~ Anonymous

“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” ~ Terry Pratchett

“The first draft of anything is [expletive deleted].” ~ Ernest Hemingway

“Edit. Or regret it. Depend on this, your story does.” ~ Jedi Master Yoda
(Okay, I made that one up. But it’s something Yoda would say, if creative writing was a Jedi art.)