© 2019 Leanna Sain

Write what you know. Show of hands—how many have heard that statement before? If you’ve been writing for any length of time at all, you’ve probably dreamt that mantra in your sleep.

I agree, but unless you’re constantly learning new things, your writing can become as appetizing as stale saltines.

Learn new things! I’ve picked up all kinds of semi-useful trivia: medical practices of the Cherokee Indians and early settlers during the mid-1800s in rural North Carolina; step-by-step instructions on counterfeiting money; the history and uses of the obnoxiously invasive kudzu vine; how to paint forgeries and get away with it; and much more. But be careful. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned since I started writing fifteen years ago is authors must have their facts straight. Believe me, if you don’t, your readers will be glad to point out your mistakes.

But sometimes you don’t have to do the research. Sometimes you’re living it. That’s what happened with my newest novel, Hush. I wrote this book while watching my mother struggle through the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease. It was a horrible experience—one I wish no one else ever has to go through. But it allowed me to use my writing as a sort of therapy, a way to work through all the anger and sorrow and frustration and confusion that came from watching someone I love turn into a stranger.

What I did was create a minor character with the disease. This allowed me a unique way to honor Mama. I was able to weave some of the things she said and did right into the story. No, I couldn’t control anything that happened to Mama in real life, but I was the one who called the shots with my book, and that was very cathartic for me.

If you want to take it a step further, you could donate a portion of your book sales to a specific cause. In my case, I chose Alzheimer’s research. There are any number of such causes from which to choose, so take your pick. What better way to honor our loved ones than to be a part of finding the cure for the horrible disease that took them away?

So, if life throws some hard things at you and you need a way to deal with all those feelings, try fictionalizing them.
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Award winning author, Leanna Sain, earned her BA from the University of South Carolina before heading back to the mountains of western NC. Her Southern suspense, or “GRIT-lit,” showcases plot-driven writing that successfully rolls the styles of Mary Kay Andrews, Nicholas Sparks, and Jan Karon into her own delightfully hybrid technique. She loves leading discussion groups and book clubs. Her latest book is Hush.