Inspiration

So as I reflect on all the things we've read during this class, I find myself wondering what some of the authors were inspired by. They say "write what you know," which has me a little fearful. Does that mean that James Baldwin was a man who could only get "excited" when he thought about hurting black people? I mean, when I really stop and think about it I get grossed out, because that could mean that this guy was some creep and his work is being read by countless people. Odds are the guy isn't actually like that, but if he isn't why did he write this story? He isn't the only author who wrote about a touchy or uncomfortable subject. Do all of these authors have darker backgrounds than I had originally thought? I just assumed they are all normal, decent people when in reality they could be bad people.