Red Room Where the Writers Are

When I was in college studying to become a magazine journalist, I was taught to write what I know.

The phrase "write what you know" is a misnomer. It doesn't mean that if you're a lawyer, you have to write about lawyers; if you're a policeman, you have to write about the police; if you're a housewife, you have to write about housewives; if you're a crack head, you have to write about crack heads. It doesn't mean that since I'm in the military, I have to write about the military.

"Write what you know" doesn't mean you have to put characters in situations with which you are personally familiar; it means you have to put a piece of yourself in each of your characters.