How often have you heard this advice: Write about what you know? And most people, I think, heed it. Some of us write about what we want to know. Well, if you\u2019re writing articles for a living, for example, you will run out of topics and will have to seek out new ones. Right?<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve had people tell me it is stupid to write about what you know because anyone can do research. But I can tell you that I\u2019ve done a whole lot of research even related to things I know well. Research is not just for those who are writing about something quite foreign to them. There are always aspects of topics we are familiar with that we need to look up or refresh our memory about.<\/p>\n
Since I started dabbling in fiction, I\u2019ve discovered how important it is to write about what you know in this medium, as well. Even though you are making up a story, it has to ring true to your readers. You can\u2019t just go into a fantasy mode and create a world that doesn\u2019t make sense\u2014unless, of course, you are writing fantasy. Still, if there isn\u2019t a thread of truth\u2014logic\u2014to it, readers will lose interest.<\/p>\n
A romance should develop at some sort of believable pace. The killer needs to have a good motive for doing the bad deed. The emotions expressed by a character should be in proportion to the incident supposedly perpetuating them. Sure some people overreact to things\u2014it\u2019s okay to write a drama queen into your story. And there are situations where bizarre behavior is believable. But when we are creating a whole world full of characters, places and situations, readers need to feel that they are a part of it and they won\u2019t if they can\u2019t buy into this world emotionally or aren\u2019t curious enough about it to keep reading.<\/p>\n
There has to be a buy-in benefit for your readers. They keep reading either because they can relate, they\u2019re hooked by the unfolding of events\u2014the storyline, they want to know more about this sort of lifestyle or the nonfiction theme of the book or they are simply enjoying the reading experience you\u2019re giving them.<\/p>\n
I read through an entire book on my Kindle this week simply because I thought the beginning was so magnificently constructed. I re-read the opening page a couple of times because it was so clever. I did not enjoy the characters or the story beyond that. But kept reading in hopes that the story would fulfill me based on that great beginning. It never did. I was glad to be finished with it. I will note this author\u2019s name and make sure not to order anymore of his books. So his clever opening did not do him any favors as an author, as far as I am concerned. If I were his publishing consultant, I would say, \u201cGREAT job with your initial hook. Now, let\u2019s work on your way of telling a story.\u201d I would suggest that he pay closer attention to the reader\u2019s experience and the writer\u2019s obligation to the reader.<\/p>\n
Do you take your obligation as a writer seriously? We all should. If we write fiction, we must cordially invite the reader into the story. For nonfiction, the reader must be able to navigate your how-to, informational or self-help book (for example) with ease.<\/p>\n
Send comments to me at: PLFry620@yahoo.com<\/p>\n
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