Journal # 1 "Write What You Know"

The first rule most writers learn is to "write what you know." What do you know? What issues, experiences and genres do you feel comfortabl tackling? What are some topics you think you should avoid? What sort of research might you be interested in doing in order to write more effectively?

Having only been alive for 17 years, I am limited in what I know. I have had a lot of experiences during my lifetime. I have dealt with death, life, young people, old people. I know a lot of random information. The genre I am most comfortable with writing is romance, and teen novels. Through these here I am able to use my imagination as well as what I know to help my writing. Topics I should avoid are things such as sports, and science fiction. I love sports, but, I feel that I am not strong with writing about sports. I am horrible at anything involving science. So, science fiction would be horrible for me to attempt. I would do research online, in books, newspapers, magazines, movies, television and people to become more informed on topics I know little about. In my lifetime so far, I have experienced major family illnesses such as MS and diabetes. I also know what it is like living in a big city, having grown up in Brampton, Ontario. I know how drugs and alcohol can affect you life indirectly. I know how you are able to have amazing friends one minnute, then have those same friends stab you in the back, the next. Some friends turn their back on you in an instant when things get tough. And when it is because a simple set of words, it can be truly devasting. I used to think I had the perfect life. Then, reality hit me. Nothing's perfect. I have been hurt many times before; twice because of a boy. After all the times people have been hurt, you would start to wonder, why do we keep going back? I believe we keep going back because of the endless possibilties. I know my different emotions. I know what my past experiences are. I know my strenghts and my weaknesses. I know me.