Write What You Know

So, I thought I’d give this post another share since it’s really speaking to me right now. Also, if you guys haven’t signed up for my monthly newsletter yet, now’s the time! Over the next month, all new subscribers will be entered to win a $25.00 Starbucks gift card.

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Ok, back to the topic at hand….writing what you know.

When it comes to writing, I try to follow some of the most common advice you might find around the web – make it interesting, show, don’t tell, do your research, and read, read, read. I have found one particular piece of advice to be much more useful than the above. It is simple. So simple in fact, I would bet that every writer does it.

Write what you know.

That’s it.

Now, I know about many things, as I’m sure you do as well. But I like to write about what I know and understand. Sure I could write anything given enough research material, but the best part about this advice for me is that what I know is why I write.

See, I know tragedy. I know loss and pain. I know darkness. I know what it is to be lost. I know what it is to regret mistakes and bad choices. I know what it is to doubt my own worth.

What I also know is light. I know grace. I know forgiveness and I know hope.

I know the world can lie to us but God never will.

I know it is a wasted effort to try and save ourselves.

Most importantly, I know that there is no greater peace than surrendering my hurt, my anger, my feelings of betrayal, and my grief to God and that makes me know freedom.

So, I will continue to write what I know because it is my hope that those experiences that I’ve dramatized into fiction but help someone else, because they sure changed me.

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