Write What You Know

The concept of writing what you know has been lost among today's writers. They are all caught up in writing about mental and physical abuse leaving editors to wonder if there is any way the character can ever make the 'hero's journey.'

There are so many things that people face in their daily lives which make great conflicts. I've decided to write about a few over the next week. Most of these can be found within our very homes. Write what you know doesn't mean that you need to delve into the darkest reaches of depravity to find conflicts for your hero. Instead, the most profound conflicts can be found in our 'real' lives.

Work

One of the best conflicts is the hero arch type, the true hero of a man. Every woman wants to marry this man. He is kind. He is at the top of his career. Money is no object. He is romantic - and he has absolutely no time for romance.

This man plans the perfect dinner. It is the most romantic night of the heroine's life and the hero's pager goes off. One of the most common conlficts and emotionally racking would be to have the hero's pager go off in the middle of the 'almost sex' scene or first climax.

Food

There are foods in our world that can cause conflict. A character who refuses to eat a good diet and leads to heart problems. This can be a powerful conflict as it opens up the opportunity to explore emotions and relationships.

A character may eat to feed their nerves. This can include eating peanuts or candy all day, or snacking on unhealthy foods, or just eating when there is no reason. This is a weakness which can be used to push the plot forward and