Write What You Know: Why It May Not Be the Best Way To Go

We’ve all heard the old dictum: “Write what you know.”

It’s generic advice often given to authors, especially those who are writing a first novel of even a work of non-fiction.

While there’s an element of truth in such advice, there’s much more to writing books than sticking with those areas with which you are familiar by virtue of training or education.

As a physician, forensic psychiatrist and novelist, it would be easy for me to write about medicine, psychiatry and courtrooms—all of whic...