Writing What You Know

Writing What You Know, as mentioned in a previous post, is sound advice for beginner writers. Your inspiration may come from an experience you've had, a story you've been told, or a hobby that you feel has the potential to interest, invigorate or inspire others. But is that really all the phrase amounts to?

I approach 'Writing What You Know' in a slightly altered fashion. You see, as in the cases of Rowling or Tolkien, my works based in fantasy are constructed in fantastical worlds, worlds others don't know. Therefore, it is not my duty to inform readers of the worlds only I know, sharing it, expanding it, and ultimately inviting others to join.

So, what do you know? If, like me, you want to transfer a mysterious land onto paper, you must first understand its rules. I don't necessarily mean its laws, though that is important; I'm referring to the basics of life and world-building. What is the geographic layout and its contributing factors to the beings that live there? What type of creatures live there? What is their lifespan? Do they have abilities? What is the history of the kingdom, empire, country, or continent? Is there a significant power struggle? Does weather play a large role in the world?

These are questions you should ask yourself before beginning, as they will shape your understanding of your world.

As you become more comfortable with the world you've built, incorporating parts of yourself influenced by reality can slip into your writing. For example, if you are an enormous animal rights activist, this may form the base of one of your characters. You may promote the use of guns, so they might feature as a prominent weapon used by your favorite characters. Including your interests in your writing will allow you to enjoy the writing process.

These elements of yourself will also trigger stronger emotions in readers as there is a connection to you, the writer, eliciting a close bond with your writing.