"It is wisest to always err on the side of life."

U.S. President George W. Bush, after signing the Schiavo Law on March 21, 2005.

Lesson 1: write what you know

You must write!
Use automatic writing to unblock or "create the kernel"
Whilst writing what you know is a good thing, you cannot assume that just because it happened the reader will believe it happened. The writing needs authenticating detail - specificity
Learn to observe - observe in words the way a photographer might observe visually
Use things that stand out
Use your imagination to augment authentic details
Look beyond the obvious
Use documents and diaries for authentic source material
Look up words you don't know
Use a notebook to record experiences or observations