Write what you know...what do you mean by that?

"Write what you know" is one of the most common pieces of advice given to writers. There is a belief among some that you should only write about your own experiences and observations in life and you should not touch upon subjects that you have no experience or knowledge about. I've never understood why people think this is a good idea. We are writers. If we do not know the answer to something we research it. We go out and experience it. We read about it. We ask questions. We go online. We imagine. We create worlds that do not exist. Or we imagine what it would be like to visit a place on the other side of the world.

I'm sure most writers would love to be able to spend most of their waking hours researching their next project. If I had the chance to do it I would travel to Greece and visit all of the museums and historical sites. But I can't afford it. So I research those places and then I use the best tool I have. I imagine what it would be like to be there.

Drawing on your own life experiences can be a good source of inspiration for writers but do not restrict yourself to writing just about your own observations in life. Research, research, research. There is some advice you should listen too. If you want to write about the Amazon jungle but you can't afford to go there then read up about it! Watch some videos! Try and find someone who has gone and ask them what it was like. As long as you have an imagination you can write about anything.