Write what you know is the most often used writing advice in books and on writing websites, but what the heck does it mean? Well, I interpret it to mean that you take your life experiences and build them into prose. I have done this many times over the years and I have found it helpful to sit down and make a list of all my life experiences to brainstorm for fiction and article ideas. To get an idea of what I mean, here is my list:
I am a mother: I have a website called Defrazzle Mom.com that includes mothering tips and I have written articles on mothering for magazines and websites. I am a wife, a divorcee and former single parent: I have used all of these in my fiction and non-fiction writing. I am a former volunteer firefighter and dispatcher: I am using this in my current work of fiction. I used to clean apartments and work as a school janitor: These experiences have been fodder for how-to cleaning articles. I am a professional artist: I use this experience in my position as the Feature Writer for Painting/Drawing and as a contributing writer for Sketchup Magazine. I used to be a substitute teacher: I haven't used this one yet, but I will... I love to cook: I have turned this love into hundreds of articles, a column for Fit Christian Magazine and a serial cookbook.
You get the idea. So, if you are having a hard time coming up with something to write, maybe you should delve into your own experiences.
Image by Moi Cody
