Embracing my reality competition persona

I must admit, when the "Survivor" reality television show first came out, I was not impressed. Half-naked, dirty, greedy, back-stabbing people were not attractive to me. Nothing about them reached out and hooked me. Nothing about them made me want to be there, either in reality or in my imagination. I can't imagine how it's stayed on the air since 1992. Obviously, I am not the target audience.

www.bravotv.com/top-chef-masters

So when I look at my television viewing habits today, I find myself quite surprised by what's on my DVR. "Top Chef Masters," "Project Runway," "America's Got Talent," and "The Voice." And I've been occasionally caught watching a marathon showing of "America's Next Top Model." (Shhh!) So why have I gone whole-heartedly to the dark side?

The answer isn't brain surgery. I can just see myself in each and every one of those shows. I fancy myself a good cook, so I could be a chef if I really wanted to. I can sew, so why couldn't I show in New York fashion week? I love to sing, so why couldn't I win a million dollars? And, of course, I'm secretly a skinny super model in my mind. The common denominator of all these scenarios is me.

Just as in reality television, in writing, the ability for readers to see themselves as a part of the scenario is critical to setting an emotional hook. Finding the right words to make the readers envision themselves in the story you're trying to tell is the difference between forgettable and memorable; action or inaction; the feeling of indifference - or yes - even passion. I suppose that's why the advice I most often hear for writers is, "Write what you know." Drawing on  experience also allows a writer to draw on their own emotion and insights, as well as observations of the others involved in the situation. And while I find writers to be extremely creative, I think experience helps you be believable.