Write What You Know Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means

Writers are often told to write what they know. Certainly, drawing from personal experiences can add realism to our stories.

But this principle only extends so far. If we wrote solely about our personal experiences, our stories would become very limited.

For this reason, the advice to write what you know applies less to specific experiences and more to general components of fiction. When we include emotions, relationships, and themes from our own lives, we can build a genuine connection with readers.

1. Write the Topics You Know

You can add depth to your story by incorporating your personal interests. For example, YA fantasy author Katherine Briggs teaches English as a Second Language, so her Threshold Duology uses various languages and dialects to enhance its worldbuilding.

You can integrate your chosen topics into your novels in many ways. Your favorite historical period could serve as an immersive setting. The themes that you hold close to your heart can lend authenticity to your book. Even your fears and struggles can inspire stories of characters overcoming life’s challenges.

When you’re excited about your story, your passion will sustain you during the challenging process of drafting, revising, receiving professional feedback, and pursuing publication.

2. Write the Emotions You Know

Robert Frost once said, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.” You can connect with your audience by drawing from your own emotions. Although your situation might be vastly different from the one in your story, emotions are universal.

Suppose you write a scene where your character enters the first day of knight training school. Even though you probably haven’t experienced this scenario, you’ve most likely experienced trying something new for the first time. Recall your own emotions and responses—the heightened alertness, the clammy hands, the simultaneous anticipation and nervousness.

You can also express your positive emotions through a character. In one of my contemporary projects, my ally discusses her love of animation. I’m not an animator, but I am a writer. I took my passion for telling stories through words and applied it to my character’s passion for telling stories through drawings.

3. Write the Characters You Know

Many writers include pieces of themselves in their characters. You might give your character a personality trait, interest, struggle, or character arc that reflects your own life experiences.

Likewise, some of your characters may blend traits of people you know. Your mentor character might have your uncle’s words of wisdom, your friend’s witty humor, and your neighbor’s habit of wearing patterned ties.

4. Write the Relationships You Know

Drawing on your own interpersonal relationships can bring your stories to life.

In Water’s Break by Sophia L. Hansen, Nica and her sister Rissa are members of a water-dwelling community. Their underwater society looks radically different from readers’ lives. Even so, Nica’s willingness to risk her life to save Rissa reflects a common sense of loyalty to family members.

When you write fictional relationships, consider the dynamics, interactions, and emotions involved in your own relationships. These insights can make your characters’ relationships more realistic—regardless of the time period or story world.

5. Write the Dialogue You Know

Although fictional dialogue shouldn’t include all the small talk and filler of real speech, capturing real-life speaking styles can immensely improve your dialogue.

Word choice and speaking style depend on personality, background, education, interests, and other factors. This is why your best friend, your boss, and your five-year-old cousin speak differently from each other.

Even the same person’s voice sounds different depending on the context: arguing, chatting with friends, or ordering takeout over the phone. People’s voices might fluctuate when they’re excited or shy. Expressing these differences in tone, pitch, and word choice can lend authenticity to your dialogue.