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Topic : Re: Do many people even care about "good" grammar in novels? I realise people like me are probably many, i.e., amateurs who want to write a book and then get frustrated by having to learn all - selfpublishingguru.com

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People do care about good grammar in novels.

I understand what you mean about the "intricate details" if you're referring to the oxford comma and grammar rules of that nature that even many editors won't really pay attention to. But, basic rules of grammar apply, unless you have a specific reason to throw those window.

For example, if your character doesn't speak English well, you might use less grammar in his dialogue. Or, if you're writing about an entire civilization of people that never learned proper English, you may not want to use as much grammar, especially if your narrator is a person of the civilization.

But, outside of cases like those, the rules of grammar do apply. This article may provide some insight: simplewriting.org/does-grammar-matter/
This one may also be of assistance, though it argues the contrary: www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/general/why-i-dont-care-about-grammar-and-why-you-should-stop-worrying
The way I've always been taught, and the way I've come to understand grammar, is that you must learn the rules before you can break them. And, if you break them too much, as I've learned the hard way, people can't understand your writing.

So, no, novels aren't expected to be written in MLA or APA format, but they are expected to be coherent.


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