Write What You Know???

Arg, almost a whole week without blogging!  Next time I go on vacation I will make sure that the place I stay has wireless internet.  Sure I could have taken my laptop out with me, but I was a tourist in Chicago from a smaller city (Columbus) and I wasn't to comfortable with carrying it around, there was no leaving it in the car 100 degrees? Probably not the safest for electronics...

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.

From Here
When I went it was like this, but imagine trees with leaves and temperature
around 100 degrees F!

The others state that you have to know what you're writing about because how would you know about the place.  I can see there point on this.  You would want to know everything that you're character would know because it would make them more believable, plus you wouldn't want to make the people who live in the place you're describing to be mad(unless they're in Gungro).  If I were to write about Chicago before I left I probably would have written about some office worker who lives in a nice house with a dog, and goes driving around town on the weekend.  If you would ask me now?  Well crazy drivers that honk to much, pedestrians that think that they own the sidewalk and the road, the man that plays a saxophone on the corner of Delaware and Michigan, the lack of parking spots, the price of parking spots, the one way streets and $5 burger at McDonalds would all be included now.  See the difference?

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

Writing Tips: Write What You Know

Write What You Know -- Because You Know More than You Think!

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!