The old adage goes “write what you know.” Actually, I hear very few people in the writing industry actually promoting that idea anymore – probably because it’s a terrible idea. Well, not terrible, really – just an inaccurate and incomplete idea. 

If you’re writing a memoir or anything autobiographical, then obviously you’re writing what you know, and only what you know. That’s the point of that genre. Anything in the non-fiction realm, actually, should be what you know. Whether you’re writing a book about gardening tips or the history of shoemakers in 19^th century London, then hopefully you’re writing from your own knowledge, experience, or research.

The “research” thing is important for many fiction writers, as well. And that’s how we can write what we don’t know. If an “expert” ever tells you that you must write only what you know, then go learn it – and now you know it and can write about it. 

Research can take the form of browsing Google, reading nonfiction books and articles, talking to other people, traveling to a place or learning a new task, or even reading a fictional story that imparts something that you want to know. The human brain is designed to gather, store, and process information, so every day you can “know” more – and thus write about it. 

And then, of course, there’s imagination. The point of fiction is just that – something that someone imagined. Even if the story is based on real events or people, if it’s fiction, there’s a good bet that the author, once upon a time, didn’t “know” everything that’s in the book. And if it’s fiction, then the author’s imagination is the most important element of all. 

If we always only write what we already know or have personally experienced, then the genres of fantasy and science fiction wouldn’t exist. Neither would most historical fiction. The romance genre would be pretty slim, too, since a lot of romance stories involve the points of view of two people in a relationship – but the author is only one person. And what about mysteries? Most mystery writers are neither murderers or detectives in real life. 

So if you have an idea for a story, and it’s something out of your personal realm of experience, don’t be afraid to write it. Do some research, talk to someone, and let your imagination run free.