I know, you just got the idea of what I said yesterday and now I am throwing a cog into the works. Come on. By now you should know that I would do that.
Yesterday I told you to write about something you know. Today, I want to explore the opposite of it.
By writing about something you don't know, you have to take a bit more time to get to know the subject. If you do this correctly, you will take the time to really see the inner workings of that genre and all that is required in it.
By writing on something you do know, and maybe know too well, there is a chance that you will over-look a lot of things. Think of it this way. Have you ever taught (or attempted to teach) someone to tie their shoes. It is nightmarish. Part of the reason is that you understand it too well. You know the loop holes (no pun intended). You know why you do it the way you do. The same applies with writing. By picking something you know too well, you forget that the reader doesn't know it that well. In the end you will lose the reader.
So, if you do take this approach, make sure to FULLY get to know your topic. Know it well enough before you dive in and write.
Scott
"The Hong Kong Connection" is a legal thriller about a gutsy female attorney who takes on high ranking International officials. It's a taut, rollercoaster of a ride from New York to Palm Beach to Washington D.C. to Hong Kong. The plot is expertly woven, the characters persuasive, and the dialogue snappy and spot on.
ReplyDeletewww.StrategicBookPublishing.com/TheHongKongConnection.html