Write What You Know

Write What You Know

We've heard the words, 'Write What You Know', but do we know what they mean? The words can be misleading and may discourage new writers from branching out to try new genres. Do they mean we should only write about our experiences? No. They mean we should write what we know; and we know more than we think we do.

Know Your Characters

People are people. It doesn't matter which time line they're in or the world you put them on, they are still people. Look at the people you know and use their habits and oddities along with your imagination to make your characters come alive for your readers.

Every writer already knows what needs knowing, because what needs knowing, (and showing) is what it's like to be a human being. Everything else--occupations, places, times-everything--can be researched.

Know Your History

Researching will teach you all about the physical aspects of your chosen time period. You'll learn the modes of dress and the type of government of the time. What did these people think and believe? Get into their heads by looking at the people you know. Whether aliens in another galaxy or Earth two thousand years ago, you have to give them traits that humans, your readers, can identify with, or the story won't work.

Everyone has experienced love, fear, hate, curiosity, just as you do. Take what you know and turn on your imagination, then mix it with the knowledge you've gained from your research. Your characters may be vampires, evil gods or aliens, but they will feel the same pain and fear that you do. They will love their families just like you love yours.

You know what frightens you. You know the feeling of being afraid. This is what makes the stories believable to others: your fear of dark places, of the unknown, pain and death--primal emotions that everyone shares. If it frightens you, it will probably frighten others. The same with love, happiness, sadness, anger--emotions are common to all people. You know what causes these feelings in you, and know what happens to your body while under the influence of these feelings.

If a character falls into a icy creek and you're unable to describe the feeling well enough for the reader to feel it; go jump into an icy creek. You'll only have to do it once to remember the feeling through hundreds of stories.

Everyone, whether they admit it or not, has felt so angry, if only for a split second, that they could commit murder. Remember that feeling and use it.
Readers will identify with the characters and the story, because they have felt the same.

Write what you know is good advice, and you know more than you thought you did.