"Writing What You Know" by Greg Herren
My first creative writing class in college was a disaster.
It was also the first time in my life I was given the seminal writing advice “write what you know.” (I got a C in the course, and I often tell this story in interviews; my instructor called me into his office after I turned in my first short story and told me I would never be a writer, but as an English major he would have me a C rather than the F I deserved. Over thirty novels and fifty short stories later, I find that amusing now. Back then, it was horrific.)
This is one of the standard tropes from every single creative writing class, every book on writing, and I seriously wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard it, seen it, read it, or have actually said it.
It took many years to understand what that truly meant. At the time, I thought it meant garden-district that writers couldn’t write about anything outside of their experience.
(Read the rest at: www.motivemeansopportunity.wordpress.com
It was also the first time in my life I was given the seminal writing advice “write what you know.” (I got a C in the course, and I often tell this story in interviews; my instructor called me into his office after I turned in my first short story and told me I would never be a writer, but as an English major he would have me a C rather than the F I deserved. Over thirty novels and fifty short stories later, I find that amusing now. Back then, it was horrific.)
This is one of the standard tropes from every single creative writing class, every book on writing, and I seriously wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard it, seen it, read it, or have actually said it.
It took many years to understand what that truly meant. At the time, I thought it meant garden-district that writers couldn’t write about anything outside of their experience.
(Read the rest at: www.motivemeansopportunity.wordpress.com
date
newest »
newest »
Michael's Musings
The giveaway for my Vietnam memoir, THE PROUD BASTARDS, ends on Halloween! If you'd like to add a signed copy to your Trick or Treat bag, then click on the book's thumbnail which will take you to the
...more
- E.Michael Helms's profile
- 291 followers
We want to draw the reader in and make them care about the characters and what happens to them. What better way than to mine our own feelings and experiences and with a twist, pop them into our characters. People respond to depth, feeling, and realness. Using our experience in some form allows others to extend their own experience vicariously through what we have creatively shared. Greg Herren, that was an excellent post on MMO and I enjoyed it. Thanks!