Write What You Know

I've wanted to write a blog on this topic for a while now. It's something I've thought about a lot myself, and it's something that affects other writers, too.


What should I write about?


Many writers, when starting out, will be faced with this dilemma. There are so many genres you could write for and it's very confusing trying to figure out what to go for. A lot of writers want to write for the genre they like reading/watching, which is a start. Writing something you would want to read/watch yourself is a great way to explore writing, as you know the genre well.


However, some people will love comedy or syfi (or whatever they call it these days!), but struggle to write it well. Don't struggle. Explore genres you never thought to try and you might just surprise yourself.

Even better, tap into your USP.


What is a USP?



As a writer you need a USP. That's a "unique selling point". I first heard about this at Adrian Mead's day course, "The Screenwriter's Career Guide". It means that you have something that you know about better than anyone else. Having one of these is a great advantage, as you will be able to truly delve into the topic authoritatively and write evocatively about it.


A USP can be anything. We all have one. Do you work with the elderly? Then you know them well and could write about a retirement home effectively. Are you a nurse? Then you can write hospital drama. Do you have a degree in history? Well, you're ahead of the rest of the pack when it comes to period drama.


But I haven't got one! Fear not - you can get one. Why not volunteer for a local charity or helpline? Why not take up a new hobby, join a local group or visit the elderly in your neighbourhood?


Look at your personal life experiences



More often than not, you will have a USP and not realise it. As much as you may want to block some things out of your life, your personal experiences are what will make you shine as a writer. To be able to write dramatic scripts convincingly, you will have to hone in on your own experiences and draw out the emotions.


Been through a divorce? Experienced or witnessed the experience of depression? Lost a loved one? Suffered an illness? These are all experiences that will help you become a better writer.


"Write what you know. Write what you wish you knew. Write your worst nightmare and your best friends." - Lisa Holdsworth


Writing what you know can sometimes be painful but is extremely beneficial. Just think how powerful you could make that period script about that aristocrat falling in love with a servant is you've been through the motions of falling in love yourself. Think how dramatic that script about depression will be if you tap into your own experiences with that friend who suffered depression a few years back. Think how convincing that kidnapping story will be (from the point of view of the family) if you tap into how you felt when your brother ran away from home in the 90s.


A good friend of mine recalled a conversation he had with a very famous and influential writer and producer (names shall remain anonymous):


"He said I should go into my own life, and experience, and explore the darker stuff, like a door you don't want to go through but you have to. I said "I’m not sure I want to go there" and he said "well fuck you if you can't, don't be a writer, I've used everything that's happened in my life at some point, if what you write isn't going to make you have an emotional reaction, how can it affect someone watching it"?


I think this statement says it all. I've tapped into experiences myself and have found it a huge help when trying to express how certain situations make people feel. 


Don't be precious


A lot of writers worry that by writing about familiar situations they will be exposing themselves, like giving away a secret, especially when the original experience involved people close to them. It's tough trying to decide when to use certain material. What you need to remember is that it's fiction. 


Everybody has to source information to write, be it a novel or a screenplay. Most people have to research certain things by talking with people who have experienced the topic they are writing on. You're lucky to have insider knowledge - use it. Worrying about what people will think is futile. Though you may think it, people won't be reading your work and digging behind the words to the source of information. They'll be appreciating the work for what it is - a story. 


Your USP; your knowledge can be used to cause a reaction in the reader/viewer, and may even help them if they are going through something similar. That's got to be good, right?


Let go and write


Writing what you know can be difficult, but may also be cathartic. Getting it out of your system might just be the thing to help you release some of that hidden tension. Why not give it a go? Project your experiences onto a fictional character and see what happens. 


"Real writing starts with passion, love, anger, a burning need to put fingers on keyboard and pen to paper. There are no right or wrong words when you're at that stage - only words. I'm not saying that writing is easy. That it should flow from you like water from the tap. More like blood from a stone. It should be painful, annoying and frustrating." - Lisa Holdsworth


Don't fear the page. Write it, sweat it and then evaluate it afterwards. There's no right or wrong way about it. It's only words. But those words, weighted with your USP, might just be gold. And you might just surprise yourself.