Writing What I know

I have long heard new authors told to write what they know. And I admit, for a long time I aspired to do just this. It made sense, that writing what I knew would equate to a story based on sound logic and on-the-job research. However, I then realized just how boring writing what one knows gets to be in the long run. I also discovered what a huge research buff I am, particularly when it comes to historical novels.

Lately, I write a mix--settings I often don't know but get to experience if only via countless hours of research and characters I might not know well in the beginning, but whose traits I do often know and may even share. I really enjoy this mix of old-time logic and new-found fun. It means making the story for me is as appealing as I hope the outcome will be for the reader. Of course, old habits do have a way of dying hard. And so for my newest Kensington Aphrodisia title, which officially releases this coming Tuesday, the 29th, I found myself again writing what I know.

Sweet and Sinful takes place in an area much like the one where I live. There are two heroines in the stories within. One shares my day job and many of my personal traits. The other shares the day job of a good friend and colleague, and many of her personal traits. I found writing certain aspects of this story went down really easy. And then I found certain aspects, like seeing the characters beyond the women I shaped them around, came awfully hard. Regardless, I still hope the end result is as as appealing to the readers as the process of the stories was to me!

Speaking of that old and new trend, do you have a preference as to what you read, or write? Do you like to enjoy experiencing the all new each time, or interspersing a bit of the old and new?

~ jodi

http://www.jodilynncopeland.com/