Can I start a sentence with and or but, if so what are the rules about that. I apericate any helpful responses.
I have a feeling that there might already be several threads on this subject. You are going to get answers all across the board: yes, sometimes, no, never. It has been my experience that I have seen a fair bit of And and But at the beginning of sentences in fictional writing. I think it all depends on use or overuse.
What Wreybies said. From what I just looked up in Google, it's not normally acceptable to start a sentence with "and" or "but", but you can do it anyway if you want, given you can pull it off. Check out this link for a bit more info: http://www.accu-assist.com/grammar-tips-archive/11-07-06_GrammarTip_and-but-conjunctions.htm
You should not begin a sentence with a conjunction in formal writing, but it's acceptable in fiction, as long as you don't overdo it. Some writing guides recommend doing so occasionally, along with other constructs that are, strictly speaking, grammatically incorrect.
Yeah, what Cogito said, nothing formal. But in fiction I think it's fine as long as it's not being overused, and that's where I usually see it.
of course you can, not only in fiction, but also in any non-fiction writing that is not subject to the most rigid of grammatical rules 'n regs... it's a styling choice that's up to the writer... like slang, if it works, it's ok and if it don't, it ain't... ;-)