What to Write About
By Dwight Norris, High Desert Branch
Okay, it’s been too long since I’ve done any creative writing, and I want to get back to it. But what should I write about? Here are some good things to consider.
First, write about what you know. If you don’t know much about a topic, how will you hold a reader’s interest? And how would you know what to write? And how would you be in a position to select the best and most effective vocabulary to demonstrate this subject matter? And how would you know if you’re adequately covering the topic? Huh?
Write what you know!
Usually, we get to know a topic pretty well based on our work and habitual behavior. We practice it frequently. But to know it really well, it is something on which we can do some research and find out a lot more. That adds the cherry on the top to give it a try and is what can really set a writer apart.
I believe a chosen topic should be something a writer really cares about. The writer should love it or hate it, but indifference doesn’t cut it. The writer won’t finish the piece, and the reader is unlikely to, either. How will you maintain a reader’s interest if you don’t care that much about it yourself? All of this seems to add up to an example that will be fun, result in an entertaining experience, help the reader learn something about fishing, and make him want to go fishing at the next opportunity. That little piece of writing has accomplished a lot.
So, let’s take a look at an example. A ten-year old boy and his father went fishing at a Southern California lake. They had reservations to rent a small boat with an outboard motor and putter around until they found a good fishing hole. They launched and put their lines in the water. In about fifteen minutes, the ten-year-old was bummed out because he wanted immediate results—at least a lot faster. The two made it into deeper water where they hooked up with some juicy nightcrawlers and puttered across the lake.
The father and son came to what was apparently a deep hole full of hungry fish. They pulled in one after another—bluegill, the father said. Nice size bluegill. They were pulling them in one after another and it was pure fun. This was the kind of article that could very well entice a non-fisherman to give it a try. Your topic might easily be a different topic but with the same characteristics for you.
When you get back in the habit of regular writing, I believe you will quickly come back to yourself and settle in on topics that are familiar and comfortable for you. The genuine self will be revealed.
This essay first appeared in the February 2023 President’s Message of
The Inkslinger, newsletter of the High Desert Branch