Write what you know: Fallacy 101?

When was the last time you visited the twenty-fourth century OR wandered in a desert by yourself for months OR been to Middle Earth? Well, the answer would be NEVER if we followed the common advice that writers should stick to writing only what we know. Think about it, there would be no fantasy, no sic-fi, and no historical fiction. No Star Wars, no Lord of the Rings, and no Outlander.

Even in popular genre fiction like romance, no one can expect any one person has done all that (well, yeah, it's feasible, but...). Instead of sticking to what we know, I would modify the suggestion to such: First, cultivate imagination. Then, either write what you know OR what you can research.


Imagination is a necessary element in the art of writing, even in non-fiction to some extent, but certainly in fiction. Otherwise, whose story are you telling? Are you merely recounting someone else's tale, a myth, or an event? I would even argue that imagination helps us TO KNOW things we might otherwise not experience. The power of the mind is enormous, and it may seal experiences in our brains as if they really happened. A few suggestions to help step it up:

• Learn to daydream. You probably did this as a child. If you stopped, and you want to be a writer, you're in big trouble! Relearn it. 
• Practice meditation or mindfulness to empty the chatter-ridden mind for a few minutes and allow for imagination to soar. 
• Read good literature and poetry - the type that evokes emotion and brings forth images. I can't stress this enough. I recently posted an article about how positively the brain responds to fiction, and literary fiction was even more beneficial. It's worth checking out on my G+ page. 

Research what you don't know. Everything is available in the library, online, through other people, or by taking on direct experience. Remember when you were in school and you had to write a research paper? Well, gather those skills and do it again.

• Writing about a carpenter? Take a wood-working class. 
• Is your book about a heroine in Renaissance Italy? Read about the time period and other accounts of women in that era. 
• Does your protagonist have a facial tic? Interview a doctor on all the potential etiologies of tics. 

My first novel in the series The Search For Intelligent Life on Earth, A Story of Love, takes place in a variety of countries/states. I've been everywhere but one place. Can you guess which one based on the descriptions or lack thereof? Remember to put the knowledge you gain - either by direct experience or through research - into the eyes and ears of your character, and you're good to go!

Happy Writing! Happy Holidays!