“If there’s a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” -Toni Morrison

Schnitzel with Noodles

Knowing what to write, as we’ve discussed, involves knowing yourself. You will write with passion if you write about topics and people close to your heart.

I learned this truth again when a friend told me he wanted to be a writer but was struggling. He’d been a cop for more than fifteen years but was tired of the job. In a few more years, he could retire with a full pension, which he planned to use to support himself while he knocked out novels. Crime novels. He had the experience, we agreed. He should give it a try. But the pages of what I read were dull, larded with technical jargon and the accouterments of police work. They were weak on plot and character. He clearly was not engaged by the stories.

One night while we were talking about how to make his stories more interesting, we drifted to the subject of his collection of beer memorabilia. As he discussed the old beer bottles and vintage advertisements that filled his house, his eyes lit up. He was clearly engaged. We agreed that maybe he was writing about something he didn’t really like–police work–and the novels reflected his disinterest. He should try, instead, to write about beer stuff. He did, and he has since published several excellent articles in trade magazines. He also was a big Elvis fan and eventually wrote a book of triva about The King.

The point is that the truism about writing what you know isn’t exactly true. Instead, write about what you like. If you’re afraid to write about what you know because you think readers will be bored, don’t be so sure. If you’re afraid to write about what you know because you’re bored, trust your instincts. Avoid that subject. Too often, we choose to write about what we think other people will like, or about what’s hot in the marketplace. If writing about something feels like a guilty pleasure, you’re on the right track.