Begin with what you know, but also? You know nothing.
I just learned this. While John Steinbeck was writing "The Grapes of Wrath" he kept a journal. On the 18th day he wrote:
"If only I could do this book properly, it would be one of the really fine books and a truly American book. But I am assaulted with my own ignorance and inability. I'll just have to work from a background of these."
"Wrath" was written in 100 days. On the 99th day Steinbeck wrote:
"I don't know. I only hope it is some good. I have very grave doubts sometimes... And the awful thing is that it is absolutely the best I can do. Now to work on it."
I don't know if this is true. I just happened to read it somewhere unmemorable. I assume that it's true because I have no real reason to believe otherwise. Unless you take into account our basic tendency to embellish, exaggerate, fabricate, gossip, and lie. I'm pretty sure though that whether it's true or not really doesn't matter very much at all.
