From: Raymond E. Feist
Date: 08 April 1999
I think it's valid, up to a point. Obviously, I've never seen a dragon, but the point is that people write about human emotions, situations, conflicts, etc. with which they are familiar. There's a similar thing that actors do, called "using sense memory," which alows the actor to remember emotions to plug into a scene he/she is doing. So maybe the actor has never lost a parent, and the character he/she is playing has, but the actor rembers getting torqued out of shape when Old Spot the family dog got run over by a drunk, so that's the emotional frame of reference that gets used. Similarly, writers use those insights into the human condition they have gained over the years. There's a phrase that sums it up pretty well, IMHO: old writers write what they've lived. Young writers write what they've read.
Best, R.E.F.
FAQ answers attributed to Raymond E. Feist are copyright by Raymond E. Feist.
It should also be born in mind that the answer given was only applicable on the date written, and to a specific question. You may find further, similar questions, in the FAQ.
