Should You Write What You Know?
You’ve probably heard the age-old writing advice: “Write what you know.” But what does that really mean? Should you stick only to your personal experiences, professions, or hometown tales? Or can you venture into faraway lands, magic systems, or characters nothing like yourself?
The truth is—writing what you know doesn’t have to be literal. It’s not about limiting your imagination; it’s about grounding your stories in emotional truth. You might not know what it’s like to battle dragons or time travel, but you do know fear, hope, love, grief, jealousy, and joy. That’s the kind of knowing that makes stories real.
So yes, write what you know—but don’t be afraid to also write what you want to discover. Research. Imagine. Ask questions. Step into other perspectives. Writing is not just self-expression; it’s exploration.
Let your truth fuel your fiction. And then let your fiction take you beyond the borders of what you know.
#WritingAdvice #AmWriting #WritersOfInstagram #WritingCommunity #WriteWhatYouKnow #CreativeWriting #StorytellersUnite #WritersLife
You’ve probably heard the age-old writing advice: “Write what you know.” But what does that really mean? Should you stick only to your personal experiences, professions, or hometown tales? Or can you venture into faraway lands, magic systems, or characters nothing like yourself?
The truth is—writing what you know doesn’t have to be literal. It’s not about limiting your imagination; it’s about grounding your stories in emotional truth. You might not know what it’s like to battle dragons or time travel, but you do know fear, hope, love, grief, jealousy, and joy. That’s the kind of knowing that makes stories real.
So yes, write what you know—but don’t be afraid to also write what you want to discover. Research. Imagine. Ask questions. Step into other perspectives. Writing is not just self-expression; it’s exploration.
Let your truth fuel your fiction. And then let your fiction take you beyond the borders of what you know.
#WritingAdvice #AmWriting #WritersOfInstagram #WritingCommunity #WriteWhatYouKnow #CreativeWriting #StorytellersUnite #WritersLife
Should You Write What You Know?
You’ve probably heard the age-old writing advice: “Write what you know.” But what does that really mean? Should you stick only to your personal experiences, professions, or hometown tales? Or can you venture into faraway lands, magic systems, or characters nothing like yourself?
The truth is—writing what you know doesn’t have to be literal. It’s not about limiting your imagination; it’s about grounding your stories in emotional truth. You might not know what it’s like to battle dragons or time travel, but you do know fear, hope, love, grief, jealousy, and joy. That’s the kind of knowing that makes stories real.
So yes, write what you know—but don’t be afraid to also write what you want to discover. Research. Imagine. Ask questions. Step into other perspectives. Writing is not just self-expression; it’s exploration.
Let your truth fuel your fiction. And then let your fiction take you beyond the borders of what you know.
#WritingAdvice #AmWriting #WritersOfInstagram #WritingCommunity #WriteWhatYouKnow #CreativeWriting #StorytellersUnite #WritersLife
