Writing What You Know

We've heard 'write what you know' for as long as we've been writing, but what does it really mean? Are fiction writers only allowed to write about people they've met, jobs they've held, and places they've lived?

Let's break open that old adage and talk about what it really means. We'll talk about why fiction too close to real life doesn't feel “real," what we can use from our lives to make our stories sing, and how to find your way in an unfamiliar fictional world.

This tutorial is taught by New York Times bestselling author and writing workshop leader Eleanor Brown.

In this 38-minute tutorial video, you'll learn:

• The difference between memoir and autobiographical fiction
• How to mine your life experience without being limited by it
• What other writers think of writing what they know
• How writing what you don't know can crack open a story