The Best/Worst Writing Advice We’ve Ever Received

by Tee Tate

Write What You Know…And If You Don’t Know, Find Out

Write what you know. We writers hear that all the time. And it’s not bad advice. Certainly there’s validity in writing from experience and authority. But as a writer, to write solely what you know narrows your potential. I write a lot of non-fiction and I write about what I don’t know all the time. That’s the joy of writing. It’s called research. Journalism. I love exploring new topics, learning about unusual intriguing subjects, or simply delving deeper into an idea that has caught my fancy. Even fiction writers often need to do research in order for their writing to be accurate. Over the years, I’ve written stories about sports I never knew existed, history I never read about, science I never dreamed about, and fascinating people I never met. So, sure, it’s okay to write what you know. But don’t limit yourself. Making discoveries enriches our lives as writers. My advice is write what you don’t know.

-Angie Dilmore

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