Sound Like You Know What You're Talking About

As an experienced and professional BSer, I've always lived by the the slogan, "You don't need to know what you're talking about. You just need to sound like you know what you're talking about." This was as true for writing as it was for life. But as I grew up, gained some experience, and learned some lessons, I realized I was wrong. Sure, you can BS your way almost anywhere in real life, but in writing, it's not gonna fly.

Speech is fast, personal, and live. Writing is planned, deliberate, and permanent. You can fast talk somebody into agreeing with some stupid ideas, but if you give them everything you said in writing, they would tear it apart and laugh in your face.

I have most felt this when it comes to writing about people of different origins. Only Chinese people can write about growing up Chinese. Only people from New York can tell a story about living in New York. Only children of immigrant parents can write about what it was like being a child of immigrant parents. Unless you have lived it, you cannot know it. And if you cannot know it, you cannot write it properly.

Recently, I was thinking about my old bit of wisdom, and I realized it was right. I am not black and can never understand what it is like to live as a black person. But you know what? I've spent a whole lot of time with black people, talked with them, learned their stories, studied their mannerisms. And if I wanted to, I could write a story with a black character.

I don't need to know what it is like to be black, but I do need to sound like I know it. Because if I portray the picture well enough, then the people who understand will relate to it and add their own feelings and experiences to gain more from it.

It's ok to sound like you know what you're talking about. Just realize that doing so still requiures effort.