This is for my fellow writers. It comes from my favorite author, Steven Erikson, who used the voice of one of his characters (a poet) to address what may be the most common criticism of the author's own work. What many criticize is precisely what I find to be one of his greatest strengths.
"A tale is what it is. Must you have every detail relayed to you, every motivation recounted so that it is clearly understood? Must you believe that all proceeds at a certain pace only to flower full and fulsome at the expected time? Am I a slave to your expectations, sir? Does not a teller of tales serve oneself first and last?"
This thought can apply to any creative person and their audience. I say, "Be not afraid to depart from the common axioms of your craft, for therein may lie true voice and fresh expression."