Writing What You Know By Lyncee Shillard

Write what you know – good advice? I’m sure anyone who has thought about writing or writes has heard this. Now if you write non-fiction this makes sense. Fiction – I’m not so sure.  For the non-fiction articles I write I do stick to subjects that I have a general knowledge of and add research. For my fiction – nope. How could I? Sorry, but my real life – is BORING!

 My fiction writing offers an escape from that for me and I get to travel – mentally – to places my wallet will never get me physically. In my current release, Taking a Risk a part of the anthology – Dangerous Men/Dangerous Places takes place in the Amazon. While kayaking down the Amazon my hero and heroine are kidnapped.  Now, I’ve never been kidnapped nor have I kayaked down the Amazon. I, however, did do a lot of research before writing this novella.  I learned the ??? is the largest rodent in the world. And pink dolphins live in the part of the Amazon my story was set.  The internet has more pictures of the Amazon than I have dust bunnies living in my house so writing details about the surroundings was easy.

Here’s a snippet…

  Leigh knew Nick was having some sort of breakdown brought on by the fact they were going to die. “Where are we going to sleep?”

“In the trees.”

Clearly, he had taken her Tarzan comments and integrated them into his vacation from reality. Leigh gathered her clothes and camera as her mind raced trying to come up with a plan. Having no idea where the second campsite was or even how to get back to the first one greatly narrowed down her possibilities.

Nick snaked an arm around her, pulling against his warm, wet body. “Leigh, I’m still going to love you once we’re safe. I’m going to love you when you’re eighty. And you never answered my question. What’s for dinner on Tuesday’s?”

“Chicken.”

“Yum,” he muttered against her shoulder. “I’m talking about you. Chicken is fine too. Tonight, you get to really be Jane.”

“Nick, please, we need to find shelter.” She twisted trying to separate herself from him. When she would rather wrap her legs around him and slip into ecstasy. Why did she always have to be the practical one?

All my romances have a happy ever after ending but I do throw a few curve balls. Because you know the saying – ‘it’s sweeter when you earn it.’ So my advice – write what you want to read.

Thanks to Wendy for having me….