Write what you like...

How many times have you heard theadvice: Write what you know? Well, I'm here to tell you I rarely follow thatadvice. Sure it makes sense for John Grisham—he's a lawyer and therefore writeslegal thrillers. Exciting stuff! But I've worked in retail most of my life andI'd rather poke needles into my eyes than write about obnoxious customersroaming the aisles in search of the next clerk to verbally abuse.
I'd rather write about places andsubjects that are new to me. It gives me a chance to explore areas I've neverventured into. I'd rather spend my free time fathoming the possibilities ofother worlds and the fascinating creatures I might find there.
And sometimes I get to researchoccupations unfamiliar to me. For instance, I have a short story called The Plumber and the Goat Sucker about aplumber who gets called to remove a slimy alien creature from his ex-wife'stoilet. But I know nothing about plumbing! Or ex-wife's, for that matter. Goatsuckers, however, are not a problem.
Time to do the research. One ofmy favorite sites to peruse is howstuffworks.com. I now know more about atoilet than I ever thought possible. And the hour or so I spent absorbing theintricate movements of levers and floats during the flushing process totallypaid off. My character came across as a bona fide plumber.
So don't get boxed in by the write what you know mantra. Instead,explore subjects that interest you. Revel in the research. Grow with yourcharacter. Every story should be an exciting journey—not just for the reader,but for the writer as well.
For now, keep reading andwriting.