Writing is an Act of Discovery

Forget the advice to write what you know. If writers only stuck to personal experience, we’d have no science fiction, no fantasy epics, and no historical fiction exploring distant times and places. Mary Shelley wasn’t a scientist reanimating corpses, and Jules Verne never journeyed 20,000 leagues under the sea. What united these visionaries was something more powerful: an insatiable curiosity for ideas that transcended their reality.

More important than writing what you know is writing what fascinates you. What makes you lean forward in a conversation? What do you research obsessively, just for the pure joy of learning? These interests are where your most compelling writing will emerge—not from cautiously staying within the boundaries of personal experience, but from the exhilarating journey of discovery.

Ray Bradbury wrote that imagination should be the center of your life. His stories were drawn from childhood fascinations that never dimmed—rockets piercing the darkness of space, mysterious carnivals arriving in the night. His imagination infused every page, and because he was utterly enthralled by his subjects, generations of readers have been captivated too.

The best narratives often emerge when writers follow their interests down unexpected pathways. Diana Gabaldon never intended to write historical fiction—until watching a Doctor Who episode featuring a Scottish character ignited her imagination. That spark grew into the Outlander series, a time-traveling epic that spans centuries and continents.

Consider J.R.R. Tolkien, whose profound obsession with ancient languages and Norse mythology was so strong it couldn’t be bound by academia. That passion birthed an entire world—Middle-earth—complete with its own languages, histories, and mythologies.

In this context, research transforms from tedious homework into a thrilling treasure hunt. If you find yourself intrigued by 18th-century pirates, the bizarre realities of quantum physics, or the secretive practices of medieval alchemists, follow those interests wherever they lead.

So don’t limit yourself to what you already know. Write what ignites your curiosity, and you’ll never run out of stories to tell.