Good writing comes not just from learning craft and reading books, but from accumulated life experiences, argues Rachel Jelinek aver at the The Missouri Review. The quality of those experiences aren’t necessarily defined by how exotic they are, either. Learning to draw from events and places closer to home are just as important:
A writer cannot simply sit around, hoping that an idea for a book will just magically appear. Instead, they have to leave their home and experience the world around them. And because money does not grow on trees, they will be prevented from experiencing everything they’ve ever wanted. But if that’s the case, then a person needs to find adventures closer to home and just constantly be aware of the emotions at play when they do something as simple as swimming in a nearby lake or experiencing a new culture by walking into a different restaurant, church, or club.
