TIL that 'write what you know' is holding back new authors

Everyone in my writing group keeps pushing this advice, but it just leads to boring stories about office jobs and suburban life. I read a sci-fi novel by a guy who works in insurance, and his world-building was amazing because he researched, not because he lived it. What's a prompt that forces you to write something you have zero experience with?

3 comments

3 Comments

annaw735d ago

Tried a prompt that made me write from a deep sea diver's view. Never even snorkeled. Had to research submersibles, pressure, bioluminescence. Ended up with this tense scene about a hatch malfunction. Felt totally fresh. Sometimes you just need a random constraint to kick you out of your own head.

craig.john5d ago

Constraints force you to see things in a new way, it's like a creative shortcut.

fiona9855d ago

Try limiting yourself to only three colors.

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