Who knows how many times I read these words of advice before I finally heeded them? Heck, I didn’t want to write about my boring old life–I wanted, through writing, to *escape* from my life, or to *change* it!
So over the years, in fits and starts, I queried big name markets with article ideas far outside the scope of my experience. I shunned the familiar in favor of the exotic. Dreamed of getting that first feature cover story. Looked at the stars, rather than what was right in front of me, or around me.
Collected my fair share of rejection letters.
But something else was happening during these years, too. With every day that passed, every year that slipped by, I acquired new skills, learned new things, accumulated new experiences. I made new friends, traveled, fell in and out of love, put myself through college, held a series of different jobs, faced my demons, lost my father, developed closer relationships with my siblings, and began to sound more and more like my mother.
All the while, the urge to write never left me. It would diminish at times, but then return stronger than ever. And then I’d read those words again, in another book or magazine, by yet another writer.
Write about what you know.
Okay, I’ll do it, I decided one day, several years ago. If I ever wanted to get published, then perhaps the time had come to harvest article ideas from my own little backyard garden of experience.
At the time, I held a pretty demanding day job as a customer service supervisor in an increasingly unpopular industry–health insurance. Although a far cry from the writing career I had dreamed of in my youth, it was in fact a challenging position that had many aspects I enjoyed, and felt good at. I began listing topics that pertained to managing people, from delegation to motivation, followed by topics on career advancement. Then ideas sprang up involving providing excellent customer service, developing good listening skills, and business writing techniques. I had, I discovered, opened a floodgate.
My first article, “Writing Effective Performance Appraisals,” appeared in Supervision Magazine that year.
But here’s the kicker–*every* article I have sold since then has been based on my own experience. One hundred percent of them. Some required additional research; many didn’t. I am certain that my familiarity with my subject matter got me through the publishing door, from writer-wannabe to actual writer, again and again.
And that’s the only point I am trying to make here. If you have met with nothing but rejection so far, or are undergoing a long dry spell between sales, I strongly encourage you to try writing from or about your own backyard garden of experience. In other wordswrite about what you know.
This works in fiction as well, even if you want to write fantasy, sci- fi or spy thrillers. The best fiction, even the most exotic, is rich in familiar detail, from dialogue that rings true to characters who spring to life by exhibiting emotions that we all know too well– fear, sadness, joy, doubt–or who possess virtues, flaws, habits and preferences that mirror our own, or people we’ve met. Even the most alien setting can be filled with sights, sounds and smells from your own memory or environment.
Write about what you know. The day I truly listened to those words and applied them was the day I turned my writing life around. I hope that today is the day that you decide to do the same.
Here’s to your writing success.
Mary Anne Hahn has written numerous articles on writing, the writing life,
business and career topics. She is also editor and publisher of
WriteSuccess, the free biweekly ezine of ideas, information and
inspiration for people who want to pursue SUCCESSFUL writing careers.
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