Life as Experience

“Write what you know.”

Many of us find this advice in articles on the web or in magazines. It isn’t a bad piece of advice but it can act as a double edged sword. What if you don’t have a lot of experience in traveling or gardening or martial arts but you’re writing about these topics?Do I have to sign up for a martial arts class? Do I have the finances to take that gardening class or to travel? For the majority of people, the answer will be “no” most of the time and that’s okay.

We can ask an expert or look online for information. We can go on forums and read what people say about vacation spots. Thanks to the Internet, there are way for us to explore the world without breaking the bank. Who knows, maybe on day you’ll be the one writing about martial arts and gardening tips.  In this way, we won’t be restricted or bored of writing what you know. It’s not always boring because life experiences can be very valuable in adding texture and depth in a story but at times, this isn’t always the case, and so it is a good thing to have some variation.

This past week I attended a Disturbed concert and yes, it was amazing. This was also my first concert and it was totally worth it. Now, you’re probably wondering by I bragged a bit but I’m getting there. On Wattpad, I read a lot of books aimed at young adults and most often than not, there is a chapter or a scene where a characters goes to a house party and they talk about all the sweat and the lack of space. A concert is not different – not really. The raging music and the crowd of people are on the mark. I can use my experience of going to a concert in my writing because I have lived through it and maybe I don’t write about a character attending a concert but the experience can be tweaked to fit another scenario.

Whether good or bad experience, it doesn’t really matter. There is nothing easy about life and if it was, I don’t think it would be very interesting and exciting. So, you can write what you know and you can look up things you don’t. I’ll leave you with one piece of advice. Next time you go to a concert, bring ear plugs. They won’t cancel out the noise (not that you would want to) but your ears will be grateful.