Write from the heart

I’ve heard the saying that we should write what we know.  That may not necessarily mean we need to know about magic to write a fantasy story.  It means we should know something about courage, if our hero needs to overcome odds, or love if there’s a romance.

If we want to write about something happening, it helps if we’ve experienced it.  I love horses and riding, and can write with authenticity about horses.  I enjoy multiple martial arts, so I can write with some authenticity on those, too.  I sew and cook and do all kinds of activities.  

Some activities and themes are closer to my heart than others.  I tend to write about love and loyalty, sometimes the love being familial or friendship instead of romantic.  I prefer to write about adventures and being a warrior, even if it’s a modern warrior.  I wouldn’t write about skydiving, as I have no experience with it and no intention of learning.

When possible, I like to do what I want to write about, even if it’s at a lesser level than what I might put in the book.  I don’t have to hang off the side of a mountain to know what climbing feels like.  I’m an indoor climber, but I know how it feels to have your arms get tired and risk falling.  I have hiked and backpacked, so I know what it’s like to sleep in a tent with the wolves howling nearby and the bears passing through the campsite.

When I’m not writing, I like to live a life that I can write about.  I like to experience some form of adventure.  I know what it’s like to train for something, getting up early for something I love, and care for someone I love immensely, even someone who is ill.  I’ve experienced spiritual growth and had transformative experiences.  I’ve had the love of my life and lost him to illness.  

I write about things that mean something to me.  Even when I’m writing fantasy or adventure, I use that as a scene in which I write about love or pursuing goals or finding their place in the world.  I write about friendships and community, even when that’s a side story, because those themes resonate with me.

Go and write what you know and feel is true.  Write for you first and foremost.  Just write.