: Re: What if the hero doesn't win? I'm just an amateur writer. One thing that's strange to me is that there seem to be "rules" about writing. The story should consist of five parts, etc.

@Bryan361

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You don't have to adhere to a formula. You don't have to follow a set of rules. You do have to create something other people want to read (assuming that is your goal).

Guidelines for writing are aimed at achieving the last of these. They are not set in stone. They are broken often. They can be very helpful for a beginner.

I don't know what you are referring to when you say a story should have five parts. People often talk about 'rules' I don't know or don't use. However, there are guidelines I try to instill in students. For example, no one should ever wake up from a dream at the end of a story, a first person past tense narrative can't end with you dying, etc. Some things just ruin a story.

Rules about the hero winning, etc. can be broken if you can still make the reader care. I recently read a story where the hero's woman is killed right at the end. I was shaken, and not particularly happy about it.

As an analogy, think about basic tactics in soccer: if you are a defender, keep yourself between the attacker and the goal; etc. Writing rules are like tactics in soccer: learn what they are and break them only if you are good enough to do so and produce a positive result.

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