It is far easier to write about what is unfolding in your life. The realism and depth of character is far more genuine than some contrived fantasy steeped in years of reading Dragon magazine and hacking at trees with swords. My life is change. My life is moving from the deep connections between myself and three hyper-energetic boys to a building sense of longing to maintain that connection as they wind away the hours at school and I prepare for a new semester.
When learned writers say ‘write what you know’ they are talking about the emotions underlying the situations. Orson Scott Card didn’t know a thing about leading an army in an interstellar battle to save humanity. He did know about being gifted and being an outsider and trying to live up to a rigid standard that shaped you more than you shape it.
I’m writing about change and working towards a highly difficult transition from being a full time dad to being a full time instructor. There are mixed feelings here–I love the intellectual challenge of work, but I love the emotional load of being with the boys all the time. As I prepare, I’m working through a meaningful understanding of the word entropy, and thinking how it applies to my life and to my growth.
A big part of transition is having that willingness to accept that change is a constant.