Write What You Know

August 5, 2023

On my daily walk this morning - daily is more an aspiration than a reality - on paved, tree-lined walking paths around my neighborhood, I pondered just WHAT to write about in my first post. Writing has always been part of my life. My dad, Charles Foster, was a journalist, Hollywood writer, and author. I was surrounded by the good, bad, and ugly of writing from an early age. Dad’s final years were spent writing four books in his mug/book/memorabilia-lined office in my parents’ home in New Brunswick, Canada. However, the years prior to that included months of living away from our family and struggling to make a living as a writer. I loved to write, but did I really want that uncertainty and stress in my life? Apparently not because it took until I was in my late 50’s to even approach a publisher with a story query.

My dad and others said, ‘Write What You Know.’ I didn’t necessarily agree with that statement and, many moons ago, wrote a college paper on Multicultural Literature making the case for writers who write about other cultures. But that’s them. I fall into the write-what-you-know category. But WHAT do I know that’s of interest to others?

When my own family, husband and young children, moved to Wurtsmith AFB in northern Michigan (the Sunrise Side of the state) in the late 1980’s, we lived across the road from an Italian couple. So what, you say. There are millions of Italian couples. But there was only ONE sister of Al Capone and she was the lady across the road. Over the three years we lived on Golfview Circle, John Maritote and Mafalda (Mae) became part of my life. At least John did. Mae suffered from Dementia but I observed her still-sharp wit and fiery temper on many occasions. Did the thought of writing a story occur to me then? Absolutely not.

Write What You Know. Several years later, with college writing and literature classes under my belt, and urging from professors and my father, I finally put pen to paper. After months of writing, re-writing, research, and self-doubt, the resulting article, ‘Getting to Know Your Neighbor,’ was published in Michigan History Magazine in 2008.

They changed my original title, ‘The Michigan Connection,’ and edited the hell out of the story (cutting some of the best bits) but it was published with my original photos. And, best part, they sent me an actual check! The magazine itself went out of print several years later but, I swear, my story did not precipitate its demise.

That first serious writing experience, not unlike my first marriage, provided a myriad of DOs and DON’Ts for my second, third, and fourth…articles, that is. Marriage - not so much. That’s another unfinished story in my pile. I tend to Write What I Know with some additional research to round out a story. The bottom line is whatever style of writing you choose, it is a process. Don’t give up. And you’re never too old to start.

Please watch for my latest article, ‘The Girls Who Danced,’ in History Magazine, Moorshead Press, Toronto, this September. Will be sharing more of my quest to see ‘Just Call Me Irene’ published. In the meantime, thanks for subscribing.