Perhaps you’ve decided to start writing poems, songs, articles, anything. I haven’t been writing for decades, but I’ve realized a few things about it: it is always better if you’ve experienced or if you know a lot about what you’re writing.
As I wrote my first song, I was afraid to expose my feelings, so I wrote about a character in my favorite book. However, as I grow more confident and open about the way I feel, my writing only improves.
Let me tell you about why you should always prefer these subjects to others that are more unknown to you:
Firstly, if you write about things you know nothing or little about, the inspiration will hardly come. Indeed, it’s hard to explain things you’ve never felt, and even if you can draw inspiration from a friend, a book or a movie, it will never be as authentic as if you had experienced it personally. Believe me, people don’t say everything and tend to hide most things even if you can hardly see it.
Thus, people won’t easily relate to what you’re telling, because it might not be one hundred percent how they feel or felt while experiencing it, and isn’t one of the main purposes of writing (particularly a song) allowing others to be able to relate to what you wrote? In my mind, helping them get through hard times is an incredible feeling.
Yet, what if you can translate what they feel, and people relate to it? Well, of course it’s great, but when they do, how do you feel about it? Do you feel like you’re not alone? Like telling your story helped them go through theirs? Probably not, since you haven’t really experienced it. However, when in the opposite case, the realization that you can help others by sharing your feelings is so empowering that I hope everyone goes through it one day.
Ultimately, writing about an issue you’re facing or have previously faced is such a relief, and putting what you’re feeling into words will not only help others but also allow yourself to get through it. It might also bring you to the answers you’ve been wishing you had simply by taking a step back.
As a conclusion, you can, of course, write about anything, but I believe your actual thoughts and feelings are what will have the greatest impact on others and also on yourself.
