What I Don't Know

One of the pieces of writing advice I've heard is to ask yourself three questions: "Is it your story to tell?  Is it too close and personal?  and Does it matter?"  I'm not sure who said those things or where I heard them, but they are basically another way of saying Write What You Know.  Unfortunately, I often ignore that advice. 

My ten minute play is about two old people (I'm not THAT old).  One has a cat (I'm allergic and don't prefer cats).   The other has a gun and tries to shoot the cat (My son doesn't even own a toy gun and I don't believe in animal cruelty.  I even try to save spiders' lives if they aren't in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I've never even held a gun).  The play is kinda funny.  I got an A on it, but it still needs work. 

My one act play is about two artists who knew each other in art school (I've never been to art school.  I'm not even an artist).  In a hotel room in Mexico (okay, I went to Mexico 26 years ago), one of the characters dives under the bed of the other when he gets caught in her room looking at her sketchbook (Do I even know what a sketchbook looks like?  Not really).  He happens to be the art director of a film (I don't know anything about art directing.  What is an art director?!?) and he needs another artist.  She just wants him out of there.  It's kinda funny too, but it doesn't make a lot of sense and it definitely doesn't really matter.  So, no, you don't really want to read that one either.  But if I get an A, maybe I'll let you.  It's submitted to my teacher.  That class is done.  Time to move on to the next project.

I'm sure I'd write a lot better and be more successful if  I would just write what I know.  I've thought about that over and over and often come up clueless.  What do I know?  What is my story to tell?  Those are the writing questions for today.  Then I think of all the things I'm trying to do all at once.  It's overwhelming.  It's no wonder I'm so mixed up.  I know, maybe I should write something about chaos.  I seem good at that.