Write What You Know – A Challenge

I have been thinking lately about the admonition to write what you know. Write what you know? Just how is that going to relate to Science Fiction or Fantasy genres? Historical Fiction, Romance, Political Thrillers, etc. are all areas in which a writer can have direct knowledge. How could that possibly apply to an area that, by definition, cannot have direct knowledge since it does not exist and has never existed? I submit the idea that it is even more important for us than it is for those with actual facts/events/cultures subject to research. After all, you don’t have to be a gourmet cook to have one as a character, but you would probably need that skill to even think of designing a race/culture where taste was a critical part of communication. I’m not sure that could be done, but that probably means someone will do it

If you look at different writers in the Sci/Fi and Fantasy genres, you will see some enlightening tendencies in the kind of stories different writers produce. It is not necessary to see a bio to know that an author is a historian, or at least has a love of history. That is obvious in their writing. Some in both genres either come from military backgrounds or have a keen interest in it. Ditto for medical or life sciences. In short, we also write about what we know. Not a single body of knowledge, but the multiple bodies of knowledge that make up our personal backgrounds.

Now, some knowledge is more a subjective understanding. I don’t know exactly how other writers have acquired the understanding to write credibly about telepathy and other psychic abilities, but in my case, it is a combination of empathy and making assumptions to expand that sense into broader areas.

My challenge is two fold.

First, what knowledge or understanding have you acquired that help you write other worlds/cultures/creatures more credibly? Identifying what you already know is harder than learning new things. Very little of our knowledge comes from formal instruction. Most of it comes from observation, of the world around us, of the interaction of people everyday, and of our own thoughts. At least, I hope you observe your own thoughts and question your own insights. So, what do you know?

Second, I challenge you to devour all learning that interests you. If you are curious about something,  follow up and learn about it. My father was a modern day Da Vinci. He grew up on a farm and they had to do nearly everything for themselves. His abilities in finding creative solutions to oddball problems still amaze me thirty years after his death. The man loved learning and would pursue any new tidbit he found fascinating. We spent one whole winter sorting antique type because he had bought an old, hand-operated printing press. He did not want to start printing things; he wanted a little hands on learning. Once he had run a few test printings, he moved on. Now, personally, I think there were probably easier ways to get that hands on knowledge, but a family that sorts type together stays together

I really can’t say anything against it though. I have pursued lots of areas of knowledge I had no intention of using on a regular basis. That made me feel guilty until I realized that just because I knew how to do something didn’t mean I had to do something productive with the knowledge. What a relief! I can learn how and why for the simple joy of learning. You never know when that chance, two hour discussion you had with the glass blower at an art festival may end up being the basis for your next story. Especially if she let you play with her toys.

The challenges to all of you, whether you write or not, are to find out what you know and to consume learning more avidly than chocolate. It makes life sweet and full of fun.