A neighbor sees me sitting on my front porch reading a book. “What are you reading?” he asks.
I tell him.
“Is it any good?
I answer in the affirmative.
“I notice you read a lot. Ever thought of writing a book?”
I say, “I have an idea for a story, but don’t know what to write.”
He chuckles. “Write what you know.”
Wow! Great advice. Wait. “What do you mean? I live a simple life. No one will want to read about it.”
Want to know how it works?
An idea pops in your head. Can you believe it? You say to self. “Why have I not thought of this? I have the ability. I can write a story. It will be a breeze.”
Then. “How do I get started?”
If you want to write and short story, novella or novel, do this: Write what you know.
Have you ever heard a writer say, “I want to write a story, but … I don’t know how to get started. I stare at a blank page or screen and nothing comes to me.”
Write what you know exists as a stimulus. What do aspiring fiction writers know?
The basics come from personal experience, which include:
Aspirations and dreams, life experiences, life lessons, personal insights, nature and humanity, positive and negative emotional responses involving the five senses, pain and suffering, personal loss, love, sadness, happiness, grief, empathy, passions and interests, inspiration, loneliness, fears, desires, wants, disappointments and discoveries. Writers perceive real life reality versus imaginary reality, truth versus lies and good versus evil.
The integral knowledge listed above equips every writer.
For more insight, get your copy of Write What You Know: A Practical Guide to Write Your Best Fiction.
I tell him.
“Is it any good?
I answer in the affirmative.
“I notice you read a lot. Ever thought of writing a book?”
I say, “I have an idea for a story, but don’t know what to write.”
He chuckles. “Write what you know.”
Wow! Great advice. Wait. “What do you mean? I live a simple life. No one will want to read about it.”
Want to know how it works?
An idea pops in your head. Can you believe it? You say to self. “Why have I not thought of this? I have the ability. I can write a story. It will be a breeze.”
Then. “How do I get started?”
If you want to write and short story, novella or novel, do this: Write what you know.
Have you ever heard a writer say, “I want to write a story, but … I don’t know how to get started. I stare at a blank page or screen and nothing comes to me.”
Write what you know exists as a stimulus. What do aspiring fiction writers know?
The basics come from personal experience, which include:
Aspirations and dreams, life experiences, life lessons, personal insights, nature and humanity, positive and negative emotional responses involving the five senses, pain and suffering, personal loss, love, sadness, happiness, grief, empathy, passions and interests, inspiration, loneliness, fears, desires, wants, disappointments and discoveries. Writers perceive real life reality versus imaginary reality, truth versus lies and good versus evil.
The integral knowledge listed above equips every writer.
For more insight, get your copy of Write What You Know: A Practical Guide to Write Your Best Fiction.