Write what you know. You've all heard it. Those four words are embedded like nasty bits of shrapnel under the skin of every writer. The thing is, though, that if everyone took that advice to heart, how many books do you think would get written?

Probably two. Maybe three. There just aren't that many geniuses around who know everything about everything.

And if you did write about what you know, would people really want to delve deep into a story about the proper way to insert an Eggo into a toaster?

Instead, I propose that you write what you're passionate about. What causes your heart to make huge brontosaurus stompy sounds? Knights and castles? Rock badgers? Googly-eyed buck-naked aliens toting balloons? Whatever. As a writer, you need to write the story that captures your attention or you're just not going to hold a reader's interest.

Writing a novel doesn't have to be rocket science...unless, of course, you're penning a speculative thriller involving a rocket scientist. Fiction is A MADE UP STORY, for crying out loud. Don't get all bent out of shape just because you don't know the details of a particular era or setting. Yeah, you'll have to do some research and include little nuggets of truth and trivia, but first capture the essence of your story in a rough draft.

There. I've unleashed you. Run free and write wild . . . just don't do it with scissors in your hands. I won't be held legally responsible for that.