Don’t Write What You Know. Write What You Feel.

One of the most common pieces of advice new writers get is “write what you know.” If you used to be a mechanic, write a story about an auto shop. If you get off on the stressful conditions of working in a kitchen, write The Bear. While writing from a place of experience can be helpful, it can also be a hindrance.

I read a lot of scripts like this from writers who are just starting out. These scripts are populated with inside jokes, illogical character choices, and for some reason, rampant, casual drug use which has no bearing on the plot. When pressed about these points, the response I usually get is “but that’s what XYZ is really like!” 

Ok…but so what?  Viewers likely don’t know these people, and even if they do, they won’t care if you fudged some of the details to tell a more interesting story. People want to be entertained. And to tell an entertaining story, it needs to have clear characters, actions, stakes, and an emotional resolution. Storytelling-wise, these elements are more important than factual accuracy. 

One problem with strictly writing what you know is that real people aren’t like characters in a movie or TV show. They often behave illogically, act against their own interests, and avoid conflict. It’s fine to base characters off people you know so long as they're the most interesting, three-dimensional, and exaggerated versions of themselves who can carry the momentum in a story. 

Another interpretation of the  “write what you know” axiom is that if you grew up on a farm in Indiana, you shouldn’t try to write that political action thriller about a senator in Washington because it’s not aligned with your experiences. This is a limiting viewpoint. There are many ways you can bring authenticity to this story. You can read books on the subject, talk to real people who hold political office, and scour the politics section of the newspaper. What makes stories compelling isn’t how many facts they got right, but the emotion of the story and how it makes viewers feel. Even if you’ve never been a senator who’s been backstabbed by a political opponent, you might have been betrayed by a friend. You can use that emotion to make your plot feel authentic. 

In my experience, writing from a place of deep emotion (writing what you feel) is better advice than writing what you know. Not only does it help your story to be more than just a series of plot points, it ensures that it’s emotionally resonant. If you feel strongly about a story and are moved by it, chances are good that others will be as well. That’s how you reach your audience – not by impressing them with how much you know, but with how much you feel.