While in a conversation with a GTW writer, I told them how awesome it was that they were taking classes in fiction writing. They said, “I wonder sometimes if all these courses might be stopping the ‘natural flow’ of my books, making them sound stiff, if you know what I mean,” which I’m using as a springboard for today’s question: is it possible to be too educated?
In short, no.
New writers have a tendency to balk at writing rules. Especially the ones that don’t seem to come naturally to anyone, like POV. When I first started learning all these rules, I was worried that I’d lose my “voice.” That I wouldn’t sound unique anymore.
It’s a lie. If you’re feeling that way, tell that voice, “Shut up – you’re wrong,” and get back to studying the craft.
All those rules (One POV character per scene, write in nouns and verbs, drop us into the action early, use only “said”) actually help your voice to shine. Your reader doesn’t get bogged down thinking things like, “Wait, who thought that? Him or her?” Your writing is tighter without all those adverbs. Your plot is more intriguing with all the back story cut. Your dialogue works harder now that you’re not relying on words like “shouted” or “inquired.”
But until the rules become second-nature, yeah, it’s possible your writing will feel stiff for a bit. That’s okay. Once you no longer have to stop and think through the rules, you’ll discover how much clearer, how much “voice-ier,” your writing is.
So don’t be afraid to learn more and try new techniques. The authors I gravitate towards are the ones who keep pushing themselves to improve, to learn more about their craft, and to grow as artists.