Is Write What You Know Good Advice for Writers

Write What You lot Similar: Why "Write What Y'all Know" Is Bad Communication

The primary requirement for beingness a writer is being told to "Write what you know" at least 16 times. The secondary requirement is a gnawing anxiety about the future of publishing, just that's a topic for another day.

"Write what you know" is one of the fundamental rules of writing, a tip that'south as widely quoted as "I before Due east, except later C." And merely like that bit of spelling advice, it's more than frequently wrong than right.

It's obvious — but still worth pointing out — that all speculative genres wouldn't exist if writers simply wrote what they have personally experienced. Tolkien would accept published an Anglo-Saxon dictionary instead of a fantasy epic, and Asimov would have stuck to physics texts (of which he still wrote more than a few) instead of writing dozens of stories almost sentient robots. Even traditional literature features plenty of people and places the authors have never personally known.

The cadre of "Write what you know" is skilful...But too often writers, specially new writers, are paralyzed by interpreting it literally.

The core of "Write what you know" is good. People mean well when they say it. Only as well often writers, especially new writers, are paralyzed by interpreting it literally. Just because anybody says something doesn't mean we have to take it seriously. People who eat an apple a day still take to visit a doctor on occasion, after all.

When people tell yous to write what y'all know, they don't mean you should only write scenarios yous've personally experienced. If this were the example, nosotros'd only have books about accountants trying to get published in their spare time to stave off the gaping void within them. Or books about a family practice doctor who steadily pays off his educatee loans while hoping for a patient who has swallowed a Lego brick simply to interruption up the monotony of flu patients.

Then what did all those English teachers hateful when they said "Write what you know" over and over again? Here are three rules that embody the essence of "Write what you know," but are much easier (and more useful!) to accept literally.

Write What Y'all Similar

This is the true cardinal rule of writing. It doesn't matter what's popular in the bookstore. It doesn't matter what your professor told you was acceptable. It doesn't affair what whatever number of other writers and readers think you should write well-nigh. Write most things you observe interesting. If that ways you like interdimensional space slugs that consume algae fondue, don't worry virtually never having met an extraterrestrial, or the fact that you clearly adopt chocolate to algae. Focusing on what interests you will make your writing better. No matter what you write, at that place will be someone out there who enjoys the aforementioned things.

Do Your Research

It's okay to write about things y'all don't know immediate, merely you must acquire plenty about the topic to audio knowledgeable. Even if you're making up a completely new world, at that place are elements of life, technology, and civilization that you can glean from our humble being. And if yous're writing about something real, something that other people know firsthand, and so you darn well better get it correct.

Be Observant of Emotion

You'll be writing nearly relationships you lot've never had, and personalities you lot've never experienced, no matter how bad y'all are at romance or how many personalities you're harboring in that little writer skull of yours. Fortunately at that place are examples of existent emotion all around. You've experienced joy and anger; you've seen others experience grief and glee and everything in between. Pay attending and utilize this to make the characters in your stories more believable, no thing the setting or scenario.

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There, now you've got something better to quote when people want writing communication. And what nosotros lost in brevity we made up in … words.

What other common writing advice needs an update? Permit u.s.a. know in the comments.

Column by Daniel Promise

Daniel Hope is a author, ukelele role player, and unrepentant nerd. He has worked as a engineering journalist (too frantic), a PR writer (besides smarmy), and a marketing writer (too false). He is currently the Managing Editor of Fiction Vortex, an online publication for science fiction and fantasy short stories. At FV, he's known as the Vocalization of Reason. That means FV staff members wish he would finish worrying all the fourth dimension. He thinks they should end grin then much.

Daniel Hope lives in California and dreams of writing more than. When distraught well-nigh his output, he consoles himself with great beaches and gorgeous conditions. He recently published his science fiction novel, The Inevitable, on the Kindle Store and Smashwords. Notice out more than at his site: SpeculativeIntent.com.

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