Whenever someone asks me advice about beginning a career as a writer, I always tell them what I believe to be the fundamental truth: write what you know. Write what you know doesn't mean you have to write a workplace novel if you work in an office or a biography about an educator if you are a teacher. To me, write what you know means write something about which you have interest and knowledge; be it your passion, your hobby or your unique exposure. I was working in the entertainment industry when I began my career as an author. Being a professional writer wasn't something I planned. I had taken a vacation trip to Missouri with a friend and through a strange set of circumstances, and over a period of time, I had met some fascinating people and collected a vast amount of knowledge about the outlaw Younger brothers. One day I realized that I had so much unique research that I owed it to these men to tell their story. A second career was born. Some years later, after the non-fiction trilogy of the James-Younger Gang was completed and published, I returned to my first career, and always my passion, rock music. Several books came from my experience there, with a book thrown in from time I spent working at Paramount Television and the people and shows I had worked with there. I am lucky. Writing what I know is pretty interesting stuff. I've had a lot of opportunities that most people don't have. But what I READ isn't necessarily the same subject about which I write. I enjoy stories about people in their everyday lives - their joys, their struggles, their challenges, their complicated relationships - maybe a little psychological intrigue, maybe a little fantasy or supernatural improbability - you know, a story that allows you to live someone else's life for a few hours and forget about your own. So after eight non-fiction books, I decided to write a novel myself. I didn't know if I could be successful as a fiction writer and I think there was some concern among people who knew me as a non-fiction writer. (Years ago when I first considered it, my then-agent said I likely couldn't and I should stick to what I was doing.) Last year I decided phooey on that. I wanted to write a novel and I was going to give it a try. My security blanket was that I was going to adapt a real-life character in my first non-fiction book and tell his story in depth. He was one of the minor players and although I had learned a lot about him, I couldn't publish much about his life because I didn't have "the proof" to back it up. Let me tell you, I had a fantastic time. Once I stepped out of the box of cite-based writing, I got to experience a world of writing that was so much fun, so challenging, so different than anything that I had ever attempted. I was able to build characters, put words in their mouths, voice opinions, explain why I thought certain people reacted as they did...it was liberating and I loved it. If I had listened to others and stayed inside the box of my success, I would never have enjoyed the hours alone with those characters; sharing their deep pain and their love for one another, laughing with them, traveling their unique path. I don't know how successful my venture will be in the scope of my career but I really don't care. I'm just glad I did it. So I think when I tell aspiring writers to write what they know, I'll add, be fearless. You probably know in your heart what you want to write for that first book. At least you have an idea. And I bet it's based on something you know. So don't listen to others. Just go for it. You'll ultimately be happy you did.