Inspiration and voice can feel like the most elusive of the ingredients that go into both fiction and nonfiction writing. Even when we’ve managed to carve out time, find the tools that work for us, and determine the path to getting our words into the world, the heart of the story may remain a question mark.
We frequently hear advice that we should “write what we know,” but how do we know what we know? without diving too deeply into the theory of knowledge frameworks, we can look at the topic we are most familiar with for the answer: ourselves.
Uncovering the heart of the story can be as simple—and as difficult—as looking with in our own hearts.
Exploring the different facets of what makes up your life and experience offers inspiration to pour into your world-building, characters, settings, plots, and dialogue. Critically examining the whats and whys of life events offers the seeds for trope subversion, insightful themes, and grippingly emotional scenes.
At a high level, those facets include your background and life experiences, your culture, your environment, your field, and the people you know. Reviewing these may not be an easy process for everyone, so tread lightly if needed.
Writing Your Background
When thinking about your background, a few
