How do you do it?

Today I read a Facebook post about which words to use during a romance/erotica novel love scene, and now I’m curious. How many people follow rules when they write, and how many just put down what they want?

My own writing style stems from the kind of things I like to read. If I don’t like a word then I don’t use it, if there’s something I do like then that’s what I go with. The books I write or that I’m currently writing are the stories I want to read, and while I hope others read and enjoy them too, the main thing that drives me is that I enjoy writing them.

I’m not saying I don’t think about readers at all. Of course I do. I don’t want people to pay for my books only to not enjoy them, or to be irritated by bad grammar or grossed out by a word I’ve used. What I’m saying, is that I let my preferences lead me. I don’t follow strict rules.

I also think it’s a fact, that we’re influenced by stories we’ve read and loved. We all know what we like and what makes us cringe, but as everyone is different, it’s impossible to write something universal. Which is why I concentrate less on rules and more on what I want to read.

I think I just like the idea of knowing the rules and then doing what I want. What can I say, I'm a rebel!

That’s how I do it, though. I write what I like to read. I’m curious about how many others do the same, and how many have strict plans and outlines that they follow.