Literature Must you do something to write it?

[Lappi]

I have asked myself the question in the title many times. I am a well read person, I have been in many situations. I have been fist fights, shot guns, made my own bombs (Not the super dangerous type. I used them to blow up yellow jackets nest in tree stumps), legally made my own guns (black pipe shotguns. Legal as long as you make them to spec & never sell them) for the purpose of RP just to know what I was doing. I believe that it allows you to write a scene much better when you can write with the knowledge of how it happens.

Though is this required for everything, or even most things? I say no, I believe that many things simply do not require the personal experience but to write but it does make it better. What do the citizens of RPN think? Do you guys & galls think that you must do certain things to get a better understanding of them in order to write them correctly?

 

[Daisie]

I agree that you don't have to do things first to write them. Of course, it would help your writing abilities if you did, but I doubt you're gonna have the chance to tame a dragon and ride it up in the air. Or know what it feels like to beam onto an alien planet. There are certain things you can do in roleplay that you very simply CAN'T do in real life, and this is a component that makes it fun and exciting!

 

[BlackMoon]

I think it certainly helps to have done the thing in real life, but I also think that as long as you have a fairly good understanding of whatever the thing is and a healthy imagination you can write just as well.

 

[Nastarial]

Understanding how something works in real life or giving something realistic rules to follow (fantasy and sci fi related stufffs) is more important than having experience with something, though I'm sure the experience helps and can no doubt add to one's writing's style.

 

[Chimney Swift]

Experience is probably the best way to gain understanding, but it isn't the only way. Don't feel pressured to give everything a go if it isn't feasible or safe, but don't neglect to do your homework. If you want to know how a certain medical procedure works, you don't have to go perform it, but definitely watch videos of it, read articles, go talk to doctors and patients who have received it, etc.