People say to write what you know, but what if your life is boring? Or what if the only think in your life that is interesting enough to write is an emotional and heart wrenching topic? This is something I’ve was thinking about all night last night. I know writing is a painful and emotional process for me, but as a writer am I willing to open old wounds and real live past mistakes and heart aches just to write a story?
The question is; should you write what you know if what you know is to painful to write about?
As someone who has dealt with the question of writing about painful moments, I can tell you that I did write. However, I wrote for myself, not for an audience. It was a sort of therapy, and because I couldn’t truly explain the pain to others I chose to do it in privacy, alone. Maybe it was the coward’s way out, but I think it allowed me to open up enough to the point where I could use my experience, not as a main point in a story, but as a strong point of reference. Pain gives you perspective. And nothing is ever wasted if you learned something from it. If you learned something through your heartaches, that is all that matters. (In my own opinion, of course!) Good luck with your decision.
Thats a very good point, but I think writing it may be to much of a painful journey for myself.