“Write what you know.” MFAs are known to have difficulty writing about things outside literary academia, And Hemingway used his storied life for amazing inspiration.
But I think there’s another way. Christopher Paolini was only 15 when he began Eragon. Stephen King has never been some gunslinging knight-errand. I believe that with a clear/open attention it’s possible to let a world that actually exists in some quantum niche to take root in your mind and transcribe it onto the page. The key is being open to it (and not letting it drive you insane).

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