Do you believe in the saying "You write what you know?" I grew up with a somewhat easy life til I was 16 yet my writing is dark dark. Were talking murder, incest, brutal brutal stuff.

Where does it come from?

I write about murder and getting away with crime and I certainly don't know anything about that.

Your imagination

I think people write about what they want to write about. What they are interested in, what they think about, sometimes what just pops into their head. When I was a teen, I'd write some pretty.......intense, dark stories about men of my "fantasy." It's actually the reason why I am so good at grammar and writing in my adult life. But....I only wrote it because it was an idea or thought that came in my head, and I felt the need to finish the story.

My novel takes place about 5,000 years in the future. Definitely don't know anything about that. I think it just all comes from your imagination.

Quoting khigh:" I write about murder and getting away with crime and I certainly don't know anything about that."

Suuuure you don't!  

Quoting Captain Lauren + ?:" Do you believe in the saying "You write what you know?" I grew up with a somewhat easy life til I was ... [snip!] ... life til I was 16 yet my writing is dark dark. Were talking murder, incest, brutal brutal stuff. Where does it come from? "

I'm an aspiring novelist. Some of it comes from personal experience, but most of it does not.

I write about feelings and emotions I know, not situations.

Quoting Back to Noob Status:" I'm an aspiring novelist. Some of it comes from personal experience, but most of it does not."

Would you ever share your work, I only really let SO read what I write.