Character flaws and new experiences make for better stories

By Alan O’Hashi from True Stories of a Mediocre Writer

Yours truly at Game 4 of the 2001 World Series on November 1 with two random Yankees fans. Derek Jeter hit a game-winning walk-off home run in the 10th inning. The snapshot is displayed alongside a 2001 Yankees team-signed ball. Everyone was a Yankees fan that night.

If you don’t flinch at bad movies or boring books, is it because you are a writer who also hides from your life experiences — good and bad?

I think stories that aren’t told from the guts end up being a little too squeaky clean, superficial, shallow and end up as bad books and movies.