In an article for Writer’s Digest, Natali Simmonds shares advice for writing what you know. “Writing what you know is about writing with soul—drawing from your own understanding, emotions, and experiences to create a deeper, more authentic connection with readers,” she writes. “However, writing about what you know requires a careful balance.” Simmonds shares her list of do’s and don’ts.
- Do Use Personal Insights and Emotions. “Think about your own experiences of joy, loss, love, or failure,” she recommends. “How did you feel in those moments? What did you learn from them?”
- Do Draw From Your Knowledge and Expertise. “Writing what you know means incorporating elements of your knowledge in a way that adds realism,” Simmonds writes. “That doesn’t mean that if you’ve never arranged flowers before you can’t have a character in your book who is a florist, but if that profession is a pivotal part of the plot readers will be able to tell whether the book has been written with prior knowledge.”
- Do Use Your Own Observations of People and the World. “Observing how others interact, understanding their motivations, and reflecting on the societal issues affecting your world can help create compelling characters and settings,” Simmonds notes.
- Do Explore Universal Themes Through Personal Lenses. You don’t have to limit yourself to using your exact personal experiences, but your theme and the emotions you evoke will be stronger if you can relate to your character’s trials.
- Do Use Realistic Settings and Details. Simmonds says that setting your stories in familiar locations is an effective way to write what you know.
- Don’t Limit Yourself to Only What You’ve Personally Experienced. You don’t need to have personal experience with every possible scenario to write about them. Don’t be afraid to imagine new experiences or research possibilities.
- Don’t Overload Readers with Exposition. Tell the reader everything they need to know, not everything you actually know.
- Don’t Assume Your Experience Is Universally Shared. Don’t assume that every reader can relate to your experiences or how you feel about them. Leave room for the reader to find their own interpretation.
- Don’t Use Your Writing as Therapy. “Although it may feel healing to connect with readers who are struggling with the same things you are, remember your story is about your characters and not you,” Simmonds writes.
