How to Write What You Know Without Writing Nonfiction

“Write what you know.” This phrase has inspired and haunted writers all at the same time. It’s limiting, yet it helps us work within our experience.

I’ve heard it said that writers who finally wrote what they knew finally knew what it meant to write. At first, I didn’t get it. I tried to write what I knew, but it all sounded like a boring journal entry that was actually worse than my actual journal entries. I usually quit about 1,000 words in, assuming I made it that far. I tried writing a story about transitions and having no friends. Depressing. A story about a dinner party. No plot. A story about living in Hawaii. Too many scattered ideas.

Perhaps that was part of my problem, I started with a concept without a plot or a character without a definitive goal. Whatever the reason, I thought I couldn’t write about my own experiences no matter how I tried.

Until I wrote Origami Swan.

Believe it or not, the initial idea for Origami Swan came from a movie (The Labyrinth) and way too many unrelated emotions. I was just finishing up my master’s degree and had no idea what I was going to do next. Then I started thinking. What if life had a maze for those who didn’t know what they were doing next? What if “life’s choices” wasn’t just a hallway with an open door indicating “THIS IS IT! Go this way!” but rather a series of puzzles that each person has to figure out on their own. Thus, the Labyrinthe de Napoléon was born.

As I think about my own stories and adding what I know, here are just a few things I’ve learned along the way:

Write in the genre you know.

Part of my problem in trying to write what I know was that I was trying to write nonfiction without reading any nonfiction. I didn’t know where to start. I had no plot. How do I add a plot to my own life?

In a sense, I was writing what I didn’t know. I didn’t know nonfiction. I’m trying to read more in this broad genre, but I haven’t yet made it into the realm of memoirs or autobiographies. Maybe I’ll get there one day.

Truth is, I’m more of a fantasy and sci-fi reader. It makes sense that I’d be more of a fantasy and sci-fi writer. I know how the genres work. Give me dragons and spaceships and explosions and intrigue and I’m one happy reader.

That’s not to say you can’t write in a genre you aren’t terribly familiar with. I grew up reading far more fantasy than sci-fi. If anything, the genre is more of a recent addition to my favorites. I’ve had to read a ton of sci-fi novels to catch up with those who were already major sci-fi fans, and I’ll probably have to read even more before I attempt to write another sci-fi novel. (I did try to write one already, but it was terrible. I’m setting that thing on fire.)

It’s okay that if have to do more research if you want to learn about another genre. If you want to write a fantasy novel, read more fantasy novels. If you think the idea of writing a romance novel is fun, read more romance. Reading is awesome! So go for it.

Draw from your own emotions/experiences and research facts.

When you draw from personal experience or emotions, you’re adding something to the story that research cannot possibly provide you. While you can search for a city on Google maps, the internet may not be able to tell you whether or not the local ducks like to sit in the street during rush hour until the cars honk at them. And while research may be able to tell you some of the cultural differences, it cannot tell you how the American Midwest smells different from the South.

No matter how familiar you are with a certain topic, you should still do some research. If I’m going to draw from a setting I’ve lived in, I still have to research it. Especially since I like to write about places I have been instead of wherever I’m currently living. After all, it’s not like I know all the types of trees or birds I want to include, or maybe I spent too much time in Europe and accidentally added a roundabout to an American town. Even if you’re writing about the place you live, research can help give you information that you might see as normal but somebody else might see as unusual, like roundabouts.

Whatever the type of story you’re writing, just remember to do your research. It might not all play into the story, but it helps immensely.

Add what you know as you go along.

Calm down, plotters. You can add this kind of information to your outline. What I mean: don’t start with writing what you know. Start with what you want to write. If you want to write about time travel, start with that. Then you can add your knowledge of jet lag or communicable diseases or foreign language along the way. If what you want to write just happens to be what you know, then great! For example, if you are a time traveler who wants to write about your experiences, then congratulations. *whispers* Tell me your secrets.

Write what you know, but don’t stop there.

Keep learning. Expand upon what you know. Like I mentioned above, experience can only get you so far. Each person has their own perspective, but unless you want all your characters to sound the same, you’ll have to branch out. Learn something new.

Of course, many “writing rules” are more like guidelines. If you happen to write nonfiction and it turns out great, then well done. What works for one writer may not work for another. Play with it. Most of all, have fun!

Let’s chat! How much of what you know do you put in your stories? Have you ever tried your hand at nonfiction? What genre do you like to write?

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Similar posts: Origami Swan: Novel Title Change and Cinnamon Rolls (Aka Characters), Traveling and Writing: Inspirational or Disastrous?, and Why Writers Should Study Their Craft

Happy 4th Blogiversary! (Featuring a Giveaway)

Around four years ago, I sat down and decided I wanted to start another blog. A blog where I could write about my thoughts on books, inspired by discussions I had on literature while I was attending university. The word blog is a weird in and of itself. Then we have the word blogiversary. What has the English language come to?

I decided to ask the internet, yes, the internet, if anybody had any questions about my writing or blogging process. Here are the questions and my answers. Stick around because I’m running a giveaway at the end!

Why did you start Word Storm? And why a blog and not any other social media?

I started Word Storm because bookish discussions make me excited. When I was in college, I wanted to continue to talk about books outside of classes. Now that I’ve graduated with my degrees in English and English Literature, I’m glad I started my blog when I did.

I picked a blog because I’m not very outgoing when it comes to other forms of social media. I have a Twitter and an Instagram account, but I’m chattier in the blogisphere. Also, I prefer writing over talking, so you probably won’t hear/see me on YouTube anytime soon.

Read more about Why Word Storm? on my About page.

What inspired you to write blog posts?

It all depends on the blog post. When I started blogging, college classroom discussions inspired me. Now, I draw inspiration from the books I read, trends I see, you name it. My last blog post, A Guide to Getting Lost in Your Local Library, was inspired by my constant visits to my library where I like to volunteer and bring home one too many books.

Actually, I’d say fewer of my blog posts come from inspiration than hard work. Inspiration is a term that’s way overused. Maybe 1% of writing is inspiration and 99% is actual writing. And that inspiration? Its name is coffee.

Did your family play a role in your interest in writing?

Yes and no. Both my parents gave me a passion for stories and reading. My mom especially used to tell me many outlandish stories when I was a kid, so like Hiccup, at least I know where I get my dramatic flair from. But most of my interest in writing came from other writers like C. S. Lewis, who wrote fantastical tales, and Mary Elizabeth Edgren, whom I got to meet as a kid, and teachers who encouraged me to craft stories of my own.

What role does God play in your blogging?

Whatever I write, I do it for the glory of God. As such, I try to write without being overly preachy. Growing up as a chaplain’s kid, I know what a sermon sounds like. Still, I aim to prompt thought and discussion from readers, regardless of their background.

As a Christian, I like to talk about wholesome stories that uplift and encourage. I try to keep my blog PG, even if some of the books I read are not. All the same, I try not to shy away from topics that may be controversial. In fact, I wrote a whole series of posts entitled “Controversy in Fiction,” addressing topics like Racial Diversity, Feminism and Female Characters, Magic, and Christian Fiction.

Are you ever going to write more about the Memory Keepers?

Maaaaaaybe. I have some ideas. While I haven’t settled on a particular story line, if I were to write more in the Memory Keepers’ world, the story would most likely involve trains, explosions, and journalism vs. academic writing.

First I’d need more reviews for Last of the Memory Keepers. If you’ve read any of the stories, please consider writing a review and posting it on Amazon and/or Goodreads. It doesn’t have to be long, and I welcome honest feedback. Did you know more reviews means more exposure? So, if you like a book, leave a review!

When you start plotting a story, where do you prefer starting? Characters, settings, storyline, something else?

Ideas can come from anywhere. Sometimes they come in the form of characters, sometimes in the form of witty quotes. But my plotting is a little more structured. Before I start, I’ll give it a rough name, which can be anything from Story Idea 11 to Just Breathe (original title for Origami Swan). Then or simultaneously, I’ll pick a genre and a target audience. Both are vital for understanding how long the story will be and how much research I’ll need to do.

When I write my basic outline (inciting incident, turning point, climax), I’ll typically start with the characters. I need to know my main players. Who they are. What they want. How they influence the plot. I’ll write this bit in a notebook so it’s portable and so I can add details wherever I go.

Once that’s done, and sometimes even before then, I’ll put some meat on the bones by writing a complete synopsis. That’s when I figure out how the plot influences the characters. I write this part on my computer so I can rearrange, change, or add details if necessary. And that’s about it. I used to write chapter-by-chapter, but later found it was too tedious.

See 3 Methods for Outlining Your Novel.

Slight side-note: I’m not participating in NaNoWriMo this year, camp or otherwise.

Why, you might ask? Well, it’s a great tool to establish discipline and to actually finish writing a book. But that’s the thing. I’ve written… eight? Nine? I don’t know. I lost count. Guys, I’m obsessed with writing. So much so that I have to be dragged away from my computer screaming, “You can’t turn it on and off like a tap!”

So… I’m taking July to do #31DaysofBunnies instead! That’s right. I’ve been trying to take up drawing for a while now, and I haven’t really sat down long enough to draw, unless you count during class once a month. As my next novel may include bunnies, I’m thinking of doing some of my own illustrations. That and they’re just fun to draw.

Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Giveaway time!

Please keep in mind that because of shipping expenses, I will only be giving away a print copy to a person with a US address. If you happen to live outside the States, you may still enter for the chance to win a Kindle/Nook edition of the first three novelettes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let’s chat! Any other questions you might have about Word Storm or my stories? What’s been your top book(s) of 2018 so far?

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Similar posts: Origami Swan: Novel Title Change and Cinnamon Rolls (Aka Characters), 3 Methods for Outlining Your Novel, and Controversy in Fiction: Christian Fiction

Origami Swan: Novel Title Change and Cinnamon Rolls (aka Characters)

If you haven’t noticed already, I’m slightly obsessed with cinnamon rolls. They hold pleasant memories for me. When I was studying for my undergraduate degree, I would visit my Grandmama every Thanksgiving and Spring Break, and she made the world’s best cinnamon rolls, and then she’d let me add extra frosting and let me eat out of the frosting bowl because she’s just that kind of wonderful person! (We’re not actually related by blood, but I call her Grandmama anyway.)

And comparing fictional characters to cinnamon rolls is loads of fun. I like the trend with my favorite fandoms. (Maybe it’s old and stale now? Who cares!) So I thought, why not introduce the main characters of my novel, Origami Swan (previously called Just Breathe), by using the comparison. Here goes!

Title: Origami Swan

Story Type: novel

Current Writing Stage: querying literary agents

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult Fantasy

Looks like a cinnamon roll but could actually kill you: Mary Lee Winters

Slightly obsessed with technology and prefers to go by her middle name, Lee. Carries around an e-guide to the Labyrinth, written by her dad, “The Professor.” Makes her initial appearance when a vendor at the Maze Market points her out to the main character, Agatha.

Looks like she could kill you and could actually kill you: Agatha Jordan

Recent high school graduate who likes collecting books, discovering the best hiking trails, and working at her dad’s garage. Prefers logic to emotion yet tends to be impulsive. Makes her appearance as the protagonist and narrator on the first page.

Looks like he could kill you and is actually a cinnamon roll: Guy Graves

Also known as the coffee addict or “Guy of Gisborne” and is not a fan of mornings. At all. Don’t bother talking to him until he’s had at least three cups of black coffee. Makes his initial appearance at the Maze Market when he mistakes Agatha for Lee.

Looks like a cinnamon roll and is a cinnamon roll: Genesis “Jen” Montgomery

A chemistry major and a college senior who likes quirky sci-fi novels. Tends to be socially awkward but enjoys deep, philosophical conversations. Makes her initial appearance wandering in the Labyrinth.

That’s just a few facts about the main quartet of characters in my latest novel. I could say more, but I don’t want to give too much away.

This list isn’t quite the comprehensive cast. I haven’t even mentioned the antagonists yet! And yes, I know some of the names are weird. #AuthorConfession: I took some names I originally didn’t like (e.g. Agatha) or random terms (e.g. Guy) and gave them to my characters, and they kinda stuck. Now I like them and they’re not changing.

Let’s chat! Who would you most be interested in meeting? Who are you most like? (Of all the cinnamon rolls, I’m probably “looks like she could kill you and is actually a cinnamon roll.”) When’s the last time you had an actual cinnamon roll?

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Similar posts: Just Breathe: Novel Announcement and Stories in Progress