Melissa Mayhue: Write What You Know – Universal Emotions

New authors are given all sorts of advice, from every corner of the writing community.   Some of it is excellent and should be followed.  Some of it is simply tired old ‘writing rules,’ best to be ignored.  One of the most often heard is to write what you know.  

When I began my writing career,  that was the first piece of advice I opted not to follow.  Write what I know?  What fun would that be… to write or to read?  Did my favorite authors at the time write only what they knew?  I couldn’t imagine that rule applying to my favorite authors.  Had Christina Skye ever met a ghost?   Had Douglas Adams cavorted with Norse gods?  Had Sherrilyn Kenyon tangled with vampires?  Did Diana Gabaldon actually travel through time?  Or Karen Marie Moning?  Or Flora Speer?  Or Janet Chapman?  Or Terri Brisbin?

I don’t think so!

Instead I chose to chase my fantasies and delve into my imagination and the wonderful world of research  to fill in the blank spots.  And readers [thank goodness!] seemed to like my books.  So much for the old writing what you know rule.

Or was it?

I was a couple of books into my Daughters of the Glen series before I realized that, in spite of my early decision, in many ways, I was writing what I knew.  And in all my favorite books, I had been reading what I knew, too.

It wasn’t the location or the time setting or the mythical creatures.  It was the characters.  More specifically, it was the emotions the characters experienced.  Not only was I pulling on emotions I’ve experienced as I wrote, I realized that in all my favorite books, the authors had been filling their stories with emotions I [as the reader] had felt myself.   So the old rule I’d discarded was there all along, just hiding in plain sight.

Write what you feel… because emotions are universal.

The heroine in my latest release, WARRIOR REBORN, is a perfect example.  Christiana MacDowylt, like so many women I know, feels she is responsible for the well-being and happiness of everyone who’s dear to her.   So much so that she doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice her own happiness – and even safety! – to guarantee the same for others.  The one time she acts on her own behalf leaves her choked with guilt over having considered her needs over those of another.

I’m willing to bet you’ve seen that woman in your own life.  A mother, a sister… maybe even you!  It’s such a common feeling for women that we see her all around us.

This was brought home to me this past weekend as I sat at a Romance Readers’ Tea.  They young woman sitting next to me was on her first solo outing since her daughter had been born.  Dad was home with their ten-month old and Mom was getting regular texts – with photos! – to update her on how Dad and Baby Girl were doing.  Naptime [or, more precisely, lack thereof] was the issue.

Mom really wanted to be at that tea.  And she knew that not only was Dad going to do just fine with Baby Girl, it was a good experience for both of them to spend the afternoon together to work on building their relationship.   Intellectually, she knew that.  Emotionally?  You could see the guilt in her eyes, each time she got a new update and shared the photos with those of us at her table.

In the end, Baby Girl did nap.  Dad texted news of his success and Mom was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the afternoon.  But in those moments before things straightened themselves out?  Mom suffered the same guilt of responsibility that Christiana suffers through in WARRIOR REBORN. 

Universal emotions.  We can all identify.  We’ve all experienced them.  When we read them on the page, we can feel them.  And THAT is a powerful experience, both for the writer and for the reader.

What about you?  Have you read a book where the emotions of the character resonated with you strongly because they were emotions you could just feel as you read the story?  Please share what character or what book touched your emotions in that way.  I’m always looking for another book to add to my TBR pile!!  We’ll even choose one entry from among those who comment to receive an autographed copy of WARRIOR REBORN!

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You can see all of Melissa’s books, or contact her directly, at her website – www.MelissaMayhue.com.  

***Melissa's winner is Leah Weller!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing information!***