Writing From Experience

HAPPY THURSDAY!

I feel like I've brought this up before, because I probably have. I find the subject of 'writing what you know' has so many different angles you can look at it from. It makes for awesome discussion topic amongst writers.

Personally, there are some things I'll write that I've never experienced first hand. Death, killing someone, driving and crying, riding a dragon, etc. Some things you know enough, have seen enough, heard enough, and can guess enough to pull off writing. Likewise, there are some things I just won't write, because I feel like they cross the line and step into the realm of Can't Pull This Off.

Like kissing. Falling in love (as in, legit love). A first-person novel where the MC's parents get a divorce. There are just some things I'm waiting to experience (like love) or some I don't know enough about to actually write realistically. At least, not as far as my MC, since I'm in his/her head.

Sometimes third person helps. Sometimes not. Sometimes lots of research is the ticket. Sometimes not even that is quiet enough. I think it really depends on how much you can imagine (dragons, mythical creatures, killing someone, etc.) and how much you can research to pull something off realistically that you hope to never experience (divorce, a drinking problem). There's a balance. While there's no doubt that a scene written from your own experiences and emotions might way outshine a similar scene written from research and imaginings, I think if you think you can pull it off, and there's a good chance it'll work, you should try.

My question to you is, how picky are you about writing only about what you know? Where do you make exceptions? Have you ever written something and felt like you didn't pull it off, or had someone tell you you aren't pulling it off?

Just something to muse this Thursday. 

Best Part of Today: Lots of new words in my novel. 
Currently Craving: Pineapple.
Music Pick: "Whisper" by Evanescence
I'm Reading: "The Seer and the Sword" by Victoria Hanley
WATM: Blink (46,277 words)