Writing and Knowing

Do writers have to know their subject before they write or can they learn from writing about their subject? The traditional school of thought is that you must know your subject before you write. This sage advice warns the writer that knowledge is necessary in order to write coherently and meaningfully about a subject; and there is merit to this point of view. The famous Flannery O'Connor, however, once said: "I write to discover what I know." To her the writing came first and the knowing came later. Writing was a process of discovery for her rather than a regurgitation of research. Does this mean she wrote without any research into her subject matter? Probably not. At least some knowledge must be developed beforehand in order for written work to be effective and coherent. What Ms. O'Connor was referring to was how writing can teach us about ourselves. The process of writing with its twists and turns, its unknowns and surprises, can often lead us to destinations we had not originally envisioned. She is speaking of the internal knowledge writers can gain from the writing process, not the external knowledge gained through research. Approaching writing from this perspective, as a process of self-discovery and renewal, can make your writing experience more rewarding for you and ultimately more meaningful for your readers.