Writing What You Know, Even If You Don’t Know Anything

What does it mean, to “write what you know”? Does it mean you can’t write about, say, werewolves, because you’ve never met any? Or does it mean you can’t construct a fictional world because you’ve never been there? Does it mean you cannot write non-fiction about dog breeds, vaginal dryness, or how to change a kitchen faucet because you’ve never done/suffered through that particular experience? Of course not.

Don’t Be a Chump – Look it Up!

For non-fiction, research goes a long way toward bridging the gap between experience and writing a good article. Find reputable sources, though, don’t just pick the first thing that shows up on the search engine. Choose sources that are recognized as expert in their field; for instance, if researching dog breeds, one of the best places to start would be the American Kennel Club. Please, do not use Wiki as a primary source of information, although it’s a great jumping off point to find other resources. Wiki is a great endeavor, don’t get me wrong, but anyone can access or change information, and it’s just not reliable enough to make me comfortable. However, there are fabulous resource links that can get you headed in the right direction when researching, and enough info on the page to get you started.

Talk to Live, Breathing Humans

In researching your subject, if you don’t feel like you’re getting the right “flavor” you’re going for from reading a bunch of articles, books, or dusty reference tomes, think about calling a local expert and inviting them to take part in an interview, either via phone, email, or over coffee. Yes, that’s right, it might mean getting out of the house or office and actually talking to a PERSON in PERSON. Take a dog breeder to lunch, for example, and ask questions. People love to talk about what they do, so go ahead and pick their brains. Listen and take notes, even utilize a digital recorder if possible and with permission.

For instance, I don’t have a dog and I’m not really a dog person. However, I did raise a puppy and house-trained him for a friend of mine, and between that experience and reading about the breed, not to mention catching a couple of dog shows on TV, I was able to write a half-dozen articles on dog breeding. Between research, talking to other people about dogs, and my own experience, they were well-written and believable.

Of course, you take your notebook wherever you go, right? You know, the notebook I told you months ago to carry with you? Strike up conversations with your seatmate on the bus, the cashier checking your purchases, the mailman. You never know when these conversations will someday help you out when you’re covering a subject such as Transportation Options in a Green City, How Department Stores Track Your Buying Habits, or The History of the Pony Express.

Making It Up As You Go Along

Fiction is a different animal. In fiction, you have the freedom fake it as you make it, but if you don’t have a strong foundation in experience, your story or novel can fall flat. Even in a work of fiction, you need to have a logical sense, or a believable suspension of disbelief.

Basing a story (or novel) on one of your life’s experiences is the easiest way I know of to accomplish this. Have you ever worked in a restaurant? Spent time in a library, jail cell, fat camp? You can draw on any one (or all) of these experiences to flavor your fictional composition and lend a layer of “realness” the reader will definitely feel. Childhood memories, being married or being single, owning a pet — these are all life experiences you can twist and craft into a fictional story. Don’t be afraid to use anything that pops into your mind — draw from life, your life, to add honesty and believability to your work.

You Know More Than You Know You Know

“Writing what you know” doesn’t mean you have to be an expert in a particular subject or genre in order to write in it. It means to write what you feel in your gut — it means to utilize what you already know, what you’ve already experienced, and use that to help you craft your world or write that article. Tap into emotions as well as practical applications, and your work will take on a depth and feeling that will stand out from the crowd.

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Next week I hope to resume my “Friday Fiction” with an interview with Susan Helene Gottfried, author of “Shapeshifter – The Demo Tapes”. Look for a review of said book on Wednesday. Between website issues, a Most Uncomfortable Anniversary, and being neck-deep in my own wrestle with the Fiction Monster, I have shamefully neglected my blog posting schedule. In true redhead fashion, I won’t apologize, but I will try to do better.