Write what you know or what you want to know?
The question of the day is should you write what you already know or should you write about what you don't know but want to learn.
If I had my dithers I would write all day, every day and never have to do anything but that. No other job, no laundry, no grocery shopping or cooking or any of the mundane daily tasks we must accomplish. My second choice would be to go to school forever - and be graded on my work! I love learning that much.
Having made that statement it's imperative that I now answer my own question. It is my belief that you should write what you know with a BUT. I know about the restaurant business so Menu for Murder has that as its setting. I know about women - being one gives me a distinct advantage in that area. I know central Arizona and the small towns I portray in the novel. And here is the BUT. I have never seen a murder, never been involved in a murder, never gone further than what I have seen on television or in the movies. Hooray for that.
So I may be writing some of what I know but I'm including a lot that I don't know about. This is the fun part where I get to use my imagination and my research skills. This is the part where I get to learn.
I am in awe of a male author who can write from the perspective of a woman. Try as I might I have to admit the male mind remains a mystery to me. It may be fun learning more on that subject but that's for another blog post entirely!
Leslie
If I had my dithers I would write all day, every day and never have to do anything but that. No other job, no laundry, no grocery shopping or cooking or any of the mundane daily tasks we must accomplish. My second choice would be to go to school forever - and be graded on my work! I love learning that much.
Having made that statement it's imperative that I now answer my own question. It is my belief that you should write what you know with a BUT. I know about the restaurant business so Menu for Murder has that as its setting. I know about women - being one gives me a distinct advantage in that area. I know central Arizona and the small towns I portray in the novel. And here is the BUT. I have never seen a murder, never been involved in a murder, never gone further than what I have seen on television or in the movies. Hooray for that.
So I may be writing some of what I know but I'm including a lot that I don't know about. This is the fun part where I get to use my imagination and my research skills. This is the part where I get to learn.
I am in awe of a male author who can write from the perspective of a woman. Try as I might I have to admit the male mind remains a mystery to me. It may be fun learning more on that subject but that's for another blog post entirely!
Leslie
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