Write What You Know V2.0

This isn't the usual stick to what you know remonstration.

This isn't that.

It's not.

If you came here glassy eyed, ready to pound the keys clean through your keyboard to correct me, sorry to disappoint you. Go away. I'll be talking about a different concept here, giving those words a different spin.

Write what you know...

We all have experiences. We all engage life. We are all here in our various different ways and lately it's become quite the talking point to be sure that one includes every possible way of being a human being in one's stories lest ye be guilty of the mortal sin of non-inclusivity.

But, while you're carrying your proud social justice flag, finding a way to include that one Inuit lesbian demisexual vegan who was raised by gay fathers in New South Whales, remember that you, the non-Inuit, non-lesbian, non-demisexual, non-vegan, raised by straight parents in Boringsville USA/UK/Canada, you also exist and you too are part of the human story and are a worthy fount of characterization and backstory.

One concept I've been including in my current WIP is growing up itinerant. Never in one place for more than four years, and this long before the ability to connect with past friends via social media. There was a time when itinerant kids either learned how to be really good snail mail pen-pals or they learned how to emotionally divorce themselves from the life they were about to leave - yet again - and start new somewhere else - yet again.

That's something I know. It don't have to research it, I don't have to ask or imagine. My entire life was painted in that pallet. I can speak authoritatively on that life. I don't need anyone to give it a sensitivity read (groan).

Write what you know...

See where I'm going?

Write what you don't know too, but don't discount what you do know.

Write what you know.