'Bad books on writing and thoughtless English professors solemnly tell beginners to 'Write What You Know', which explains why so many mediocre novels are about English professors contemplating adultery.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Critiquing the cliché advice to write from personal experience, suggesting it leads to uninspired work by academics.
- In plain terms
- Advice to write what you know can lead to boring books by professors.
- What can you take from it?
- Avoid limiting your creativity to your immediate surroundings.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does personal experience limit creativity?
- Are academic novels inherently boring?
Another view
Some personal writing can be authentic and valuable.
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