What It Means To Write What You Know

Write What You Know 

You will never see a writing advice space without these famously confusing words. 

But what does it mean? Is it that I can only write about things I know about? Can I not make my main character a vampire princess who has to defy their parents to save the kingdom? Because I certainly don't know what it means to be a vampire princess or save a kingdom. 

But I know from my teenage years how it feels to go against what my parents want and that's what this advice really boils down to.  

Let's dive into what it means to write what you know to make your story the best that it can be. 

What It Means To Write What You Know

Writing means selling a lie well enough that others believe it and take it as fact. 

It means taking everything you know about what it means to be - and putting that into a story. 

No, you've never been a princess, or an astronaut, or a vampire in the 18th century.

but you've been human. (I hope?) 

Sure readers know characters don't exist and that the world of your book is something made up by a regular person who sat at a computer for hours (or months) on end to put the words down on the page and into their hands. 

However, good stories are written so well that readers can't tell the difference between fiction and real life because the story has been written so well they want to believe that it's real, and in a way, they might need it to be. 

It doesn't mean your protagonist can't be an accountant because you don't know anything about math.. it means that if your protagonist gets her heart broken by the man in the next cubicle you use your own experiences to make it believable.

No matter what situation your characters are being put through try to relate it to something you've experienced before. 

Examples in your life of when you felt desire, rage, fear, or confusion.

Think back to these experiences in your life and give parts of what you went through to your characters. Give them your heartbreak, your grief, the feelings of being over the moon in love. 

But more than that you know a lot more about your story than you think. 

You know what it feels like to walk across a grassy field to get caught in the rain or miss the bus. 

You've felt the wind blowing through your hair stubbed your toe or felt the softness of your bed after a long day.  

You know all of this, so when your characters go through similar situations or face something similar enough give them what you know.

You'll make your characters come to life on the page because while your readers might not have been vampire princesses either they've experienced enough of life that if you fill your story with real emotion they'll be able to relate to it. 

Best of luck!

With love, 

B.K. xo xo 

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