Writing
teachers always tell new writers to write what they know. But that’s not
exactly true. If it were, we would be so limited. How could you ever write
about space travel, if you had never done it? Yet there are science fiction
writers out there who have never travelled in space.
As
writers, we need to combine what we know with our imagination. But we must also
strive for a vast supply of experiences from which to draw. True, research can
help fill gaps when writing, but you need to combine the research and
imagination with your experiences. To
have been there and smelled it and heard it, really helps a writer reach their
readers.
My
advice: I can’t encourage you enough to go out and have adventures – even if
they are close to home. Take photos (your memory will fail you!). Even take notes if you have to – sniff the air,
listen as you walk or ride. How would you describe it?
I took this photo on one such adventure this
summer and think I will expand the terrain and use it as an environment on a
planet in one of my next books!