There's getting it right all the time, and there's artistic licence. My English teacher told me:
1) never start a sentence with "But", "Because" or "And". But I do it if the story warrants it. And if it serves a purpose. Because I can.
2) sentences must contain a subject and a verb. Piffle.
3) always separate a list of exciting dramatic words with a comma, and never put a comma before the final 'and' in a list.
All three of the above demonstrations are grammatically borderline incorrect, depending on who you ask. But only purists would argue they're "wrong". They serve a stylistic purpose. And repetition without commas, or staccato sentences, can add drama when used sparingly.
The only so-called 'rule' I try not to break (except in speech, where it's acceptable and pretty much anything goes) is to end a sentence with a preposition. Everything else is up for grabs, imo, as a stylistic choice.
Would I use 'sat' instead of 'sitting' as Danielle menioned in the OP? Probably not, because when read aloud it doesn't flow as well. But I can bet I've used lie and lay wrong at some point.
Writius Eroticus
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