Even though I wasn't able to post on here I was able to create some great topics for blogging, so be warned: awesomeness will be a reoccurring event this week.
One of the most controversial topics when it comes to writing is the statement 'Write what you know.' I find myself in the middle of this argument.
Some people say that you do not have to write what you know because how boring would that be? What would you write about? Sitting in a room typing stories while eating Doritos? That would be boring, and I'm not sure how long that I would be reading that novel before my drool would wash away the words. Plus if you're writing sci-fi how are you supposed to know what cultural habits there are in the galaxy of Gungro if you've never actually been there. Perhaps that knowing how things work around you can help you with knowing how things work else where.
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| From Here When I went it was like this, but imagine trees with leaves and temperature around 100 degrees F! |
I'll tell you where I stand on this. I think that we need to know certain elements for writing, not everything. I think that if you're including some place that actually exists then you need to know it. Find someone who has been there or worked there. Do some research. I don't know much about lifestyle of people in Botswana, but I can find that information out. Google some things, read some books, talk to people who have been there, just find a way to grab a taste of their culture and ride it. Everything doesn't have to be exact. As a reader I don't need to know about the giraffe statue that is at the bottom of the street that your MC lives on, unless it holds magical powers or if that is where you're MC met their true love. Writing what you know doesn't have to be about what you do, but how you feel. Everyone has felt something at one point in their life, if not be scared because they may be a robot. But seriously, at one point in time you have probably been embarrassed, sad, happy, loved, scared, etc. And guess what? You're character can too!
Here are some great website articles that I found you should check them out!
“Write what you know” – the most misunderstood piece of good advice, ever
So here's my tip to you: Writing is 50% research, 50% experience, and 100% trying. So go on now and research, experience and try!
Creative writing taught us to write what we feel, not what we know. I can guess how I'd feel if I were assaulted. I can guess how awkward it would be for me to stand in front of a large group of people and give a speech. But, do I have to be a killer to write a story about a killer? No, I think we all know what it feels like to push a knife through flesh. We know what if feels like to snap bones inside flesh.
ReplyDeleteWe've seen plenty of movies and television shows which depict crime scene processing, police interrogations, etc. Oh, but that's television? Right, and it's also fiction. Someone wrote those scripts and I highly doubt they wrote them from their prison cells while serving time for the crimes they committed.
Great post!
Exactly. I think that sometimes we can stretch our imagination to fit what we need. Going with your knife idea, we all know what it's like to be stabbed by a needle or even being cut be knife or such, so if we could take that and amplify it we could guess what it would be like.
DeleteThanks for the comment! It was great!