Write What You Know
Authors Use Their Life Experience to Write Best-Selling Novels
John Grisham, Dick Francis, Jeff Stone and Sara Gruen are great examples for aspiring writers to "write what you know."
“Write what you know.” That advice is standard for aspiring writers. Nothing puts off a reader more than jarring errors; horse lovers who read “riding tackle” instead of “tack,” for instance, will quickly put the book down.
It doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with your writing, but if you tap into the hobby, career, or industry that you know and love, half your battle is won.
John Grisham was a trial lawyer when he wrote his first books. His second, The Firm, reached blockbuster status, and his career as a writer was set. Not only has Grisham’s experience as a lawyer made him at ease with the jargon, the ins and outs of courtroom procedure, and the behind-the-scenes happenings of a case, but his passion for justice has carried from the courtroom to the novel.
Dick Francis is known worldwide for his mysteries set in and around the world of racehorses. His first career was as a champion steeplechase jockey, riding in many of the races that appear in his books. His easy, casual intimacy with horses is what makes the stories ring true for other horse lovers.
Jeff Stone’s Five Ancestors series centers around medieval China, kung fu, and orphan children looking for their roots. Stone was adopted himself, succeeded in finding his birth mother, and is a black-belt kung fu practitioner. His knowledge of the Shaolin kung fu styles and his understanding of the need to know who you are make his books come alive for young readers.
Sara Gruen has a long relationship with animals: horses, cats, dogs, goats and more. Her first two books, Riding Lessons and Flying Changes, focused on horses, fear, and relationships. Her understanding and empathy for all animals carried her on to the best-selling Water for Elephants.
If you write a book about something you know well, does that mean you don’t have to do research? The answer is an emphatic No. Your story will undoubtedly go into areas you’re unfamiliar with, and you need to follow it there.
Dick Francis researched photography, wine, horse transport and many other topics to be able to tell his stories well. Sara Gruen did months of full-time research on circuses to be able to write Water for Elephants. Jeff Stone bought a python to get into the psyche of Snake. And John Grisham still has to research different injuries and corporate industries for the conflicts in his books.
So whether you’re an accountant, a veterinarian, or a real estate agent, use what you know to form the core of your novel. Then research what you need to flesh out the other areas.
Sources:
- John Grisham: author website
- Sara Gruen: author website; Farrah Field interview, August 2006; Lynn Carey article, "Success of 'Elephants' Allows Writer to Spread Her Wings," Oakland Tribune, 7/29/07
- Dick Francis: author website
- Jeff Stone: author website; SCBWI interview
