Sometimes – Write what you DON’T know

I’m sure I’ve stated before I don’t always agree with the older adages of writing advice that are bandied about to newer writers. There are many that you look at and go “What the heck does THAT mean?” when you read them.  While these comments are designed to help the new writer, they don’t always give the full details of what they mean.

Take for instance this option: Write what you know.

Now let’s think about this adage. Unless a fantasy author is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism or holds a PhD in historical swords, I seriously doubt that they are versed in the proper battle techniques with a bladed weapon. No matter what the movies show, it doesn’t translate to the page that easily.

So I’d like to offer an adjustment to the adage we have here: Write what you understand.

Now this makes things more interesting. A housewife might understand the nosy neighbor more than she understands the international spy. Then again, they may be married to a member of the joint chiefs of the United States, too.  This doesn’t mean that they can’t research the item they want until they reach an understanding that will allow them to put a believable character on the page.

The important part of what I’m trying to say is that you have to make your story believable. Your words have to make the reader wanting to turn the page. If a details is so glaringly wrong that it ruins that experience, then you’ve struck an issue. This is one reason why we have readers before a story or book reaches the rest of the world. They can poke and prod the story for bits that throw them off and give you the chance to rewrite them.

For some writers, their greatest fun is when they have to research something for a character. No, they aren’t weird. They are learning. As writers, we should never stop learning. We become the world’s knowledge repository, because we have to know about a multitude of things, even if we can’t perform those acts ourselves.

Yeah, I just overwhelmed the brain, didn’t I?

I’m not suggesting you’re to become a brainiac, nerd, or representative of the know-it-all society. It takes a special kind of person to be so disturbed. Nope, I just want you to learn enough to make your story believable when people pick up the book or magazine to read it.

The Craft or the Art

Editor's note: This isn't really advice this time around. I had a rambling thought regarding writing and wanted to place it out there for others to comment. If you're seeking advice, feel free to skip this post. Thanks!

Frequently, it is heard in discussion circles about the “Art and Craft of Writing.” I sat and thought about that concept and I realized something. I don’t agree with the statement. There is the “Craft” of writing and then there is the “Art” of writing. They can be separated into distinct beasts, rather than being one entity.

Here is where my thoughts come from regarding this.

The craft of writing is dealing with the actual rules. You’re crafting sentences based on the structures the rules require. Nouns and verbs, adjectives and adverbs, they all factor into the craft. Craft is something that is learned.

The art of writing is taking what we know of the craft and melding it into a pleasing composition everyone can enjoy. The turn of phrase or the distinct point of view the writer choses all lead to art. While craft is something learned, Art is an innate sense. Some people can write art. Others just write.

One important thing to note about how I lay that out, one can exist without the other, but the reverse isn’t true. You can have craft without art, but cannot have art without the craft.

Everyone wants to believe that their writing is Art™. When first attempting to put pen to paper or words on the screen, it will be closer to stream of consciousness writing. This isn’t bad, as you’re still developing your craft. Writers like Anne McCaffery, Ray Bradbury, and Edgar Allan Poe didn’t have crystal prose during their first works. It took them years to develop into the artists we read now.

I guess I’m saying all that to say this: Don’t feel rushed because you want to write. I’m nearing the twenty year mark, and have only had one piece published. Time continues to work me through the awkward stage.

However, let me throw this out to the readers: What’s your thoughts on the “Art and Craft of Writing?”