Write What You Know: Understanding this Classic Writing Advice

“Write what you know” is one of the first pieces of advice many aspiring fiction writers hear when they embark on their journey to become an author. (And if you’re a nonfiction writer, stay with me.)

On the one hand, the idea of writing what you know makes perfect sense. If you’ve ever read a book on a subject with which you’re wholly familiar, you knew immediately when the author moved outside their area of expertise. 

On the other hand, writing what you know seems a rule often ignored. Who amo...