Write What You Know

The worst piece of writing advice I had received was “Write What You Know”.

WTF is that supposed to mean? I never got a follow-up to that or an explanation. So, probably because I’m autistic, I took it literal. Do you know how hard it is to write a fictional story when you don’t get out? Now, if you are a writer yourself you probably understood that advice. Obviously it isn’t saying write ONLY what you know. But to write from your expeirence. Here’s the thing. I thought that meant that if I went hiking, then I could (or was allowed) to write about hiking. If I worked in a slaughter house, then I should write a character that worked in a slaughter house.

Now, what if I told you that, yes, those things are true and if you have first hand experience in doing something then you should include that in your stories. It just adds an air of authorative voicing and realism. HOWEVER, that advice runs deeper than you may think.

Let me try to explain it like this. I am writing a book called Dead Waters. It follows the coming of age story of Carter who is forced into manhood by spilling the blood of his friend and surrogate father. It takes place in 1803 - 1805 and the majority of it happens on a stranded whaling vessel turned merchant ship. Now, do you think I know anything about 1803 - 1805 early United States? Fuck no. Do you think I have killed my friend as a weird cosmic entry into manhood? Fuck No. Do you think I know anything about whaling? No, I’ve never read Moby Dick and I don’t plan to.

But what I DO know is living quietly. I know what it feels like to survive abuse. I know what it’s like to watch the men you were supposed to rely on fail you time and time again. I know about generational trauma. I know about the confusing thoughts that crop up in a brain wired to be queer. I know what it feels like to feel broken, lost, weird and unwell. I know what it feels like to survive, to be the only survivor of a group that shaped the person you are today. I know what it feels like to carry stories.

Everything else, I learned through research.

When you are told “Write what you know” they aren’t telling to write your external experiences. They’re telling you to explore your own interiority. What do you think, feel and how do you react when you are rejected by a crush? How does it feel when you are sitting on a bench on the side of a mountain hike and you see an expansive valley below you? What do you feel when it’s just you in your head, running through the thoughts and reactions you can have, may have and will have during a heated conversation?

If you want to write, really write. If you really want to see why writing is an artform and not as easy as entering a prompt into ChatGPT. Then you need to be willing to explore yourself. To audit your thoughts. To catalogue your feelings. Only then will you write something great.