“Write what you know” is perhaps one of the most well-known writing adages out there. Many people mistakenly think it means one should write only about things with which he or she has personal experience, but this isn’t so. Otherwise, a number of beloved genres, such as science fiction and fantasy, wouldn’t exist (there’d be no Ariel, E.T., and no Edward Cullen – gasp!)

No, “write what you know” isn’t about events, but emotions. It’s about connecting with a feeling, be it rage, bitterness, anticipation, ecstasy, and calling it forth from your memories, connecting with it within the controlled lab environment of your writing room, and creatively repackaging it to suit a specific character, who isn’t you, but who carries a bit of you into every scene.

One reason I believe writing is so therapeutic for me – even creative, fiction writing – is because every time I sit down at my laptop, I’m revisiting old battlefields. I’m digging dusty emotions out of their graves and inviting them to tea. This isn’t a painful or unhealthy practice, mind you; these emotions and I have made amends and buried the hatchet. They did their damage and left their scars, and now it’s time to redeem them by infusing their blood-red ink into the fabric of my stories, adding more depth and richness with every drop.

Of course, there is a bit of vulnerability involved in opening your heart every time you write. Because, as I’ve mentioned, works of fiction are teeming with remnants of the author’s struggles, failures, fears and regrets, readers are, in a way, welcome voyeurs, peering shamelessly through the window where the artist’s soul resides.

Authors willingly open themselves up to this, because not only do we want to write, we want to make a difference in people’s lives.[1] We want people to feel they’re not alone, and that they can make it through any of life’s storms, snares, and starless nights intact.

My latest novel, Armor for Orchids, tells the story of three young women who quickly find that adulthood isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Shattered dreams, broken hearts, open wounds…they’re all adrift at sea, treading water, and fading quickly.

Each of these women was woven together with threads firmly fixed to my heart. Elise suddenly lost her father, as I did. Charlotte struggles with feelings of inadequacy and disillusionment, as I have. Marissa numbs her depression with mega doses of exercise and bodily starvation, as I have off and on for over a decade.[2]

The Bible tells us in Romans 8:28 that God works all things together for good. I believe, with all my heart, that whatever infernal darts tried to overtake you in the past, the Lord can transform them into much-needed medicine for others in your life who may be under a similar attack.

Whether you’re a dancer, doctor, bank teller, or barista, I am certain that endless corridors of open doors are waiting for you to walk through them and share God’s faithfulness. The only thing you must do is ask God to rid you of any paralyzing fears of rejection and judgment, and then trust that whatever He has called you to do, He will give you the strength to complete it. [3]

Next week, I’m going to share an excerpt from Armor for Orchids from one of Marissa’s chapters. I hope you’ll join me then, but in the meantime, I encourage you to spend just a few minutes writing about a past experience that has made you into the man or woman you are today. You may never share it with anyone, but the simple act of reflection will no doubt make you grateful for every chapter in the novel of your life so far, the happy, the sad, the gray in-between, and the one or two that felt like prison cells.

If you’d like to read the first three chapters now, head over to my Kindle Scout page. If you like what you read, please hit the “Nominate” button, and tweet me your thoughts at @dandersontyler!

 

“ … may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.” –Hebrews 13:21, NLT

 

[1] This is a generality, of course!

[2] For more on my personal testimony, please check out my book Immeasurable.

[3] http://www.jollynotes.com/2013/03/13/when-god-calls-he-also-equips-enables-provides-qualifies-you-us-scriptures-biblical-examples/