Write What You Know

That’s what they say…”Write what you know.”

I know a little bit about a lot of things. But, I’m an overthinker…so my mind spirals out in the most bizarre ways. One simple incident, statement, action, or whatever can send me into months of dissecting it or spinning it, much like a kaleidoscope.

I suppose this might help as far as my writing goes. I mean, I have a lot of scenarios in my head that can go in several directions within seconds of each other. As I think about a character or storyline, this often happens. It’s like unraveling a huge ball of yarn, which often is impossible to roll back up into a tidy ball.

As I was saying, I know a little bit about a lot of things and a lot about a little bit of things. Sometimes I take for granted how diverse and expansive my experiences and knowledge are, compounded further by my overthinking and overactive imagination.

For example, I drove rideshare for a few years (full-time for 3) in Las Vegas, which is what inspired some of Scott’s story (from The Rideshare Chronicles). Some of the relationship and family issues in Scott’s story, as well as Serenity and Shyla, came from personal experience as well.

Of course I also love listening to stories from my friends, family, or even strangers that I meet along the way. Some of the stories are inspired by those that I hear about elsewhere, as well.

Other stories are born from my overwhelming tendency to overthink. One remark can send me reeling for days, and as it all grows outward I start putting things together.

For example, the way this entire Murder Mystery Series came about. I was thinking about a single character and storyline that I created years ago. As I was discussing it with a friend, and driving rideshare in the middle of the night, a dozen more stories came to mind.

By the end of the night, the series was born. I saw so many twists and turns in each character’s story where some of them could intersect or loop back around that I constructed an entire universe inside of my head for these characters, their city, the people in their lives, and how they could intertwine.

I’ve read that we are connected within six degrees of separation. You’ve probably heard of that too; or even played the game or seen the movie. (Side note: I found this blog post about how the internet and social media has decreased this number according to more recent studies.)

With reality constantly showing us that it’s truly a small world, why not add that element of connection to a work of fiction as well? The three main characters highlighted in the series each have some major part of their life that directly correlates with my own experiences, while leading completely different walks of life, and yet being intricately connected.

Scott drives rideshares, operates his own business, is raising children, and struggles with romantic relationships.

Serenity has some childhood traumas and self identity issues, as well as relationship struggles.

Shyla is smart, but often misunderstood, and sees things differently than most people around her. She also has relationship struggles, both romantic and platonic.

Looking at that list makes me think I have more work to do on the relationship front! In all seriousness, these three all offer different perspectives and very different choices. At the end of the day, I believe most people will be able to identify with something in each of them.