As writers, we firmly believe the creative mind should wander where it desires. We don’t think one should be pigeon-holed to genre, race, geography, or anything else. However, the constant reminder to writers to write what they know is still a good one. Compelling writing is in the details, the brio, and nuances of the writer's ability to be authentic and create the depth of story needed for captivating storytelling. When writers draw from their own experiences, knowledge, exposure, and emotions, they infuse their work with a sense of truth and credibility that resonates with readers.

By writing about what they know, writers can capture nuances, details, and insights that might otherwise elude them if they were to tackle unfamiliar subjects. Depth of understanding allows writers to create rich, multidimensional characters, vivid settings, and realistic plot developments that engage readers on a profound level. It enables writers to imbue their work with sincerity and passion, as they explore themes, conflicts, and ideas that hold personal significance for them. That said, great research can offer the writer some of the same insights as lived experience, especially today, when explanation of everything is so readily available online. 

An example of lived experience that captures the imagination and inserts the reader inside the story, is that of Wordeee author, Saundra Henderson Windom's book, ORCHESTRATION. A memoir about her childhood as a mixed-race African American and Korean child abandoned at an orphanage as a result of the Korean War, her story recounts her imperiled early childhood, subsequent adoption, and immigration to a new life in America. Her visceral literary style and powerful story capture the reader.
 
To understand story emersion, we suggest you read the following writers who have demonstrated how personal experiences and emotions, as well as research can inform great literary works. By weaving their own stories into their writing, these authors create unforgettable narratives that feel genuine and relatable to readers, rendering their work timeless.

Maya Angelou: Angelou's autobiographical series, starting with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, delves into her own experiences growing up in the segregated South, dealing with trauma, racism, and in finding her voice as a writer and civil rights activist.

Ernest Hemingway: Hemingway often drew from his own life experiences, particularly his time as a journalist and his involvement in war. His novel, The Sun Also Rises, reflects his experiences as an expatriate living in Paris and his involvement in the post-World War I generation. Similarly, A Farewell to Arms draws upon his experiences as an ambulance driver during World War I.

J.D. Salinger: Salinger's most famous work, The Catcher in the Rye, was heavily influenced by his own experiences as a teenager. It has sold over 65 million copies since it was published in 1951. The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, struggles with alienation and disillusionment, much like Salinger during his youth.

Perfume by Patrick Suskind is a well-researched, bestselling novel set in the eighteenth century that is a terrifying examination of one man’s indulgence when his extraordinary sense of smell leads to murder. You can smell the perfume and the fish!

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is a first-person account of a Japanese woman and the trials she faces on the path to becoming a geisha in Kyoto during and after WWII. Skillfully written by a man, this work defies the “write what you know” scenario but draws heavily on research and the author’s own experience of living in Japan. After you’ve read this novel, you’ll want to jet off to Japan to wear those kimonos!

Ultimately, writing is about your skill and your passion. Staying true to your own experiences and perspectives is an advantage but never limit your art to only what you know because you’ll be writing the same story over and over again. Be bold, be experimental, but whatever you do, craft authentic, relatable, and emotionally resonant stories that foster a connection with audiences worldwide and leave a lasting impact…the footprint of your art.