Another Take On Write What You Know

I did a whiney post on ‘Writing What You Know’ the other day. Sometimes, I whine. Too damn bad.

But, what about those times when you aren’t writing about something you know? How do you ground yourself to the character then?

I’m working on a screenplay right now that is about something I know nothing about. As odd as that sounds, think about it this way – do those sci fi writers really know what it’s like to be an alien in another galaxy?

I found myself having a hard time with the characters because I didn’t know them. They weren’t doing anything that I knew how to do. How did I remedy this? Well, I gave one of them a trait that I have. Boom. Done. Now, it might sound like I’m writing me, but I’m not. What I’ve done is give the character something I can relate to. In my case, it’s the way he argues. Simple. It’s not like I made a carbon copy of me.

Think of it this way: My best friend couldn’t be more different from me. She immigrated to Canada at the age of twelve, is almost six feet tall, loves to dance, is seriously outgoing, and is studying to be an accountant. But I’m still her friend. Why? Because we share certain experiences or traits. Our sense of humour. Crazy parents. Our culture.

So, giving my character a trait that I have isn’t creating a copy of me. It’s… creating something closer to a friend. I can use that one trait as a link in the chain, and build from there. The further I go down the chain, the less he is like me, but that first link is still anchoring him down, grounding me to who he is. It doesn't always have to be a trait that you have. How about a friend? An enemy? Your mom? The dork who bags your groceries at Safeway? That can work, too.

This is harder when you’re writing a spec – something you didn’t create – but it can still be done. I mean, who really knows what it feels like to be a vampire slayer? But, hey, you might know what it feels like to simply be a woman, or a high school student, etc.

I always write much more smoothly when I find something to anchor me to the character. It could be something as simple as hair colour, or something as complex as a shared situation or problem. The key is to make sure you build from there. Don’t stay locked to that one trait… let the chain keep growing, let the character keep growing.

EDIT: Of course, this doesn't work all the time!