A writer breaks down what "write what you know" actually means: the literal details of your life and the emotions you've felt. Master storytelling from real experience before inventing worlds you've never lived in.
Chapters
You hear the writing advice all the time, write what you know, but what does it actually mean? Number 1, it means actually write what you know. Like, where do you live? What do you do for work? Who are your family members? What kind of pets do you have? Can you write a compelling story based in the world that you live in? Number 2, write what you emotionally know. What are the hardest things you've ever gone through in your life? Have you lost a family member? Have you gone through a divorce? Have you gotten fired? Have you had something terrible happen to you? Can you write a story About that, because that is the truest emotional story you could ever tell. Now, can you learn to write things you don't know? Absolutely. Just pick up your favorite fantasy or sci-fi book. However, here's what I know as somebody that teaches writers all the time. If you can't write what you know, you definitely can't write what you don't know. So first learn how to write something based on real life, and how do you write something based on an emotional experience that you've gone through? Start there before you try to write something you don't know. Subscribe below for more writing tips.