Experience is what you get when . . .

Among the favorite buttons on the bulletin board over my computer is the one that proclaims:

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

Think about a time when that was true in your life. Chances are that after the mess was sorted out and the tears dried, you gained insight. As a writer you can tap into those emotions and show how your character progresses from mountaintop to valley and crawls back up again. Notice how often that process becomes the plot line. Its harder to write about tough times from the outside looking in, you need experience in angst to fully grasp the situation or to convey it to a reader.

Writers have an advantage, I believe, in we have the ability to work out those issues in a story. Whether you choose to make the story autobiographical or sprinkle the fiction with moments of truth, experiences are a valuable part of making fiction feel real.

So the next time you are in a wretched situation, make careful notes about your feelings, actions and reactions. Simply writing out your frustrations can be therapeutic, prevent you from saying something aloud that you might later regret and provide background for a future writing project.