Bad books on writing tell you to "WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW", a solemn and totally false adage that is the reason there exist so many mediocre novels about English professors contemplating adultery.

Joe Haldeman
Bad books on writing tell you to
Bad books on writing tell you to
Bad books on writing tell you to
Bad books on writing tell you to
About This Quote

The idea that writers write about things they know is a bad philosophy that leads to boring works. This statement is based on the idea that writers are experts on everything they write about. This is not true. Writers are experts on writing, but they are experts on many things beyond that. It makes sense not to conflate the two.

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  1. Bad books on writing tell you to "WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW", a solemn and totally false adage that is the reason there exist so many mediocre novels about English professors contemplating adultery.
  2. One rash person in the right place and earth could be a sterile cinder in seconds, but that's been more-or-less true for a century.
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