Writing What You Know

by Meg Files

It's easy for people to write about their feelings in a journal. It's more difficult, however, to convert personal experiences into stories worthy of publication—fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. Filled with engaging exercises, Write from Life guides writers in identifying story-worthy material and transforming their raw material into finished pieces, through conquering fears associated with personal exposure, determining a story's focus, shaping the material into a cohesive whole, and editing and revising as needed. Writers working in any form will find this book invaluable for supplying them with the inspiration and practical instruction they need to get their experiences and emotions into print. In addition, they will learn to:

Tap into difficult, guarded parts of their lives to tell the stories they desire
Write emotionally intense material
Decide which literary form is right for their stories
Create the illusion of real speech with effective dialogue
Tell their stories with authority
Develop effective beginnings, middles, and ends
Share their work with others and deal with reactions courageously

Files' friendly, encouraging advice makes it a pleasure for writers to write the stories they are most passionate about. In an age when publishing can mean pushing a button on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog, there is an enduring urge to send stories out into the world. In an atmosphere of misinformation and lies that social media and the ease of publishing may encourage, we especially crave truth. The time to start telling it is now—so many aspiring writers have truths worth sharing and stories begging to be told!

Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published March 1, 2016

Reviews

[Owen Townend · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept of mining personal experience has been both touted and dismissed for as long as writing and general creativity have existed. However I have never been presented with the full possibility of writing what you know.

Cue Meg Files and this marvellous book. In it she discusses how virtually any personal experience, no matter how apparently mundane or potentially libellous, can be used and tempered into an idea that seems universal. Not only this, she gives examples of how this can be done in both prose and poetry form.

While I cannot agree with every suggestion Files posits (i.e. handwriting a first draft isn't necessarily better than typing it: I find both lead to different discoveries), I do come away feeling enthused about turning memory into fiction or else polished nonfiction. I also intend to confront the things I am afraid to write about head-on and see if it leads to a raw but admirable honesty.

I recommend Writing What You Know to writers seeking to speak the truth and perhaps gain a better understanding of themselves.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in the physical, print form, I have taken many notes while reading this book. I feel that the author has approached common questions covered in many books on writing with a fresh perspective. Fears about writing from your personal experience that block the story are addressed in a helpful way. Added are rules for conducting workshops, processing criticism, and reworking drafts. A good book to add to the writer's shelf or experience.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author provides some good tips on writing. She includes excellent ideas on writing poetry. There are examples of best practices in the process of revision and mistakes to avoid.

[Chels S · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a writer you NEED to read this. Five stars for page 9 alone. Blows crap like 'Save the cat' and other such formulaic nonsense out the water.

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could do without the language...but a pretty good book, and accurate in listing what authors have to keep in mind, from my own experience writing short stories. I was able to move a tiny bit farther on in my writing project, which is what I hoped. Someday I will finish that project before I die!

[Isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book since 2018, but it wasn't until this year that I decided to read it. Let me tell you, as a writer, I wish I had read this book before. This book, besides being helpful, it actually inspired me to retake a draft that I left behind. This is one of the authors that I would love to sit down and have a conversation with. I love her.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read several books on writing, and overall I think this is one of the most useful ones (although, really, I love almost all of them). I read it, and I've read it again. I use it as a reference book, I use it for inspiration, I use it to bolster my confidence. It is absolutely fantastic.