“I think therefore I am; I love therefore I write.”
There’s an old saying,”Write what you know.”
I think it means writers should stick to their area of expertise or experience. In order to be authentic we shouldn’t try and present something we’re not; we should, therefore, write only what we truly know.
But I don’t know much.
Sure, I have a bit of world experience—and I am endlessly curious about all manner of subjects (my out-of-control website bookmarks are testament to how easily I find something interesting), but knowledge, as in facts, always seems to me a little open to interpretation.
Take historical facts for example.
In high-school ‘Australian History’ I was taught Captain James Cook ‘discovered’ Australia. But when I grew up I learned a lot of people were exploring the Great Southern Land long before the Brits boarded her. The ab-original folk had discovered the gum-trees, kookaburras and kangaroos thousands of years before the Cook, his crew and their lovers.
And it’s not just history that changes with time (and the victor’s account), all fields of knowledge are littered with facts which later became fiction.
Once upon a time people agreed the world was flat. Then facts changed.
So the fact ‘facts’ change makes me wonder about all sorts of things people say they ‘know’. Especially when some of those people are willing to kill others for not believing what they ‘know’.
Was there really a Prince who became The Buddha, a Jewish priest who became The Jesus, or a Chinese philosopher who wrote The Book of The Way? I don’t know. I wasn’t there.
But I can love the stories. I can love humanities need to explain itself. And that’s what todays Write Thought Tee is really all about.
“I write what I love—‘cause what do I really know?”
I write what I love. And, besides the spiritual texts and mythologies that inspired them, what else do I love?
Without coming off like a Miss Universe contestant I must say it’s the simple things in life: walking in the sunshine; standing under an umbrella with my love while it rains; watching my baby girls discover what grass feels like underfoot, and so much more.
There is so much I love. So I write about that.
Because what do I really know?
:)
N.B. If you enjoyed this post you might also like these other Write Thought Tees:
No. 1 – A Writing Affirmation for everyone
No. 2 – Brevity is the soul of Twit
No. 3 – How to write for one person
stace8383
/ June 27, 2012You’re so right. It is ‘write what you know’ that stops me from writing something set in a country I’ve spent little time in at a time I wasn’t alive! I love me some Regency England. hehe.
B.G. Mitchell
/ June 30, 2012And what is our imagination for if not time, space and emotional travel?
Besides, who knows where the stardust which is you took form last? Perhaps you have indeed ‘been’ to that country you so love?
Yours, in re-incarnation contemplation, Ben.
Sam Ryan
/ June 30, 2012Some basis of knowledge or familiarity is necessary, but I reckon more appropriate would be ‘write what you experience’ – go into the world with an open mind and try to make sense of your experiences through writing. And/or … have a wild imagination!
“Blind certainty, a close-mindedness that amounts to an imprisonment so total that the prisoner doesn’t even know he’s locked up” ~ David Foster Wallace
B.G. Mitchell
/ June 30, 2012I agree Sam. Writing from our own experience is what it’s all about. And even as I have experienced things I didn’t love at the time, I have learned to love everything about my life (well, almost—I’m getting there!), since all the ups and down, pleasant and unpleasant times, have lead me to here—which is a pretty good place, actually.
That’s a great quote too. Just this morning my baby girl was innocently repeating “I don’t know” in a kind of mantra. It occurred to me what an honest statement “I don’t know” really is :)
dianasschwenk
/ July 2, 2012I like that “write what you love” because love is passion and passion draws others into the conversation and we are social creatures who need others, don’t you think?
B.G. Mitchell
/ July 2, 2012Even though I like being locked away in my writing room I am definitely a social creature. Why else would I continually check my blogs and Twitter to see what cool person has said what interesting thing? Thanks for your comment, Diana :)
(I also can hardly stop myself using :) at the moment)
dianasschwenk
/ July 2, 2012My pleasure :)