I think ‘write what you know’ is good advice only if what you know is extraordinary.
I don’t think anyone wants to read how to unblock a toilet or how to start a Facebook campaign.
I think people read novels or watch films for the escape.
Can you imagine the movie that included all the commuting time, all the scrolling through social media and all of the boring work meetings?
It would be an instant flop!
Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars weren’t successes because their creators were abducted by mythical creatures, brought to another realm and made to live out various plots.
No. Those stories were pop culture phenomenons becaue Tolkien, Rowling and Lucas used their imagination and their audience loved coming along for the ride.
I think ‘write what you know’ is good advice if you have an abundance of remarkable stories.
If on Monday you saved a man’s life and on Tuesday you caught a murderer and on Wednesday you cured cancer – You’re golden!
Thomas Duggan 