1.
It’s easier than attempting to write something
you have no clue about. It’s going to be difficult to write about a rancher out
in Montana if you’re terrified of horses and have never ventured farther west
than Nebraska. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but a lot of research is going
to be involved.
2.
The details. If you know something really well,
chances are you’re chocked full of miniscule details that will take your story
to the next level. Little things like how something smells or conversation
tidbits can help ground your story in reality and paint a vivid picture for
your readers.
3.
Oftentimes it is easier to write characters that
you can relate to. You can make sure their thoughts/feelings/motivations are
accurately portrayed because you (most likely) have felt the same things.
I think this is good advice to an extent. Anyone who knows
my writing knows that my stories are out there, plot wise. I have written about
characters that live in a trailer park, have an overweight family, are
divorcing at age 90, have been struck by lightning, and (most recently) crew
for hot air balloon companies. None of these things have ever happened to me.
If I limited myself to writing only what I know, I’m not
sure I would be a writer. I write to discover. I write to understand why people
do the things they do, why they react certain ways in different circumstances.
I do think it’s important to have something in common with the characters so
you can relate to them on some level. You don’t want every aspect of the story
to be foreign to you. Something as simple as giving a character the same
favorite pastime as you can be enough.
I think true writers are able to convincingly portray a
character completely different from themselves. A true writer should be able to
put himself or herself in a completely different pair of shoes and write from
that point of view. Sort of like acting, but you create the script yourself. It’s
my favorite part about writing, getting to be someone else for a while, someone
whose life is 100% different from mine.
Do you write what you know? Or do you venture outside the
box? Or are you somewhere in the middle?
I was just thinking about this the other day as I was editing. For me, it's been a steady progression - each manuscript ventures further outside my comfort zone. If someone had told me a few years ago that one day I'd write a book like MTL, I'd have laughed. A lot. But now that I DID write it? I can't imagine not having it in my life, and I also can't imagine deliberately keeping myself in the realm of "the known," either. Sometimes it seems like only yesterday that I was telling you how nervous I was about writing Sofie since her situation was so foreign to me - but like you said, as long as we find something to connect with our characters about, that's all we need. They take over from there. So, my long-winded answer to your question - it's definitely somewhere in the middle for me :)
ReplyDeleteI still love the risk you took when you started Sofie's story. You've grown so much as a writer, and I can't wait to see what challenge you take on next! :)
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