I think the 'write what you know' advice is holding a lot of people back

I see it all the time in my local Austin writing group. Someone has a cool idea for a sci-fi story or a fantasy world, but they feel stuck because they've never been to space or used a sword. I think 'write what you can learn' is way better. For my last story, I spent a week reading about deep-sea geology, and it made the setting feel real. Has anyone else found that research beats just sticking to your own life?

3 comments

3 Comments

perry.evan3mo ago

Totally! My friend wrote a whole western after just visiting a ranch for a weekend.

hugoh552mo ago

You ever try interviewing someone who actually does the thing? I needed to get the details right for a bartender character, so I just sat down at a dive bar before it opened and chatted with the owner for twenty minutes. Made the whole story click in a way Google never could.

hollyc923mo ago

My buddy wrote a whole mystery set in a bakery after just watching baking shows and asking questions at his local shop. The research made the details click, way more than if he'd only used his office job for material. Sticking only to what you've lived really can limit the stories you tell.