Write What You Know. Really?

As an author, you often hear the advice, "write what you know." This is good advice to a point: it always add authenticity to your writing when you have experience in the same things that your characters endure, achieve, or experience.

But, what if you're writing a fantasy novel or fantasy RPG campaign? Can you still "write what you know?" In fantasy literature, we commonly read about the characters making camp, traveling great distances either on foot or beast, battling monsters, and saving fair maidens.

In the next few days I plan to explore just how much we can experience first hand in writing in this genre and how to learn as much as possible about the things we can't experience for ourselves.

Most fantasy literature / RPGs are set in a world based on the European middle ages. While it is not possible to travel back in time and experience first hand what it was like to live during those times, with a little imagination, it is still possible to gain some direct knowledge of various aspects of life during the medieval age.

It is very easy to write that your character has just wrapped himself or herself in their cloak and slept. Or, your character threw back his cape and reached for his sword. Easy to write, yes, but - easy to do? How do you know? Do you have a cloak? Ever slept in it outside? Ever tried to get to something in a hurry while wearing it? I have a cloak from my SCA days and I know first-hand it is not always as simple as it seems.

You can make a very simple cloak by taking a single bed sheet, cutting the long end to equal the distance from you neck to your ankles and pinning the top around your neck. Or if you want to get just a bit more authentic, purchase a length of wool fabric of the same length. If you are handy with needle and thread or a sewing machine, good articles and instructions for making cloaks and capes can be found here, here and here.

Once fitted out with your cloak, try spending a whole day wearing it. How easy is it to maneuver around? How long does it take to get the hang of moving it out of your way when trying to do everyday tasks? Now, walk outside with it on. How does it feel when the wind catches hold of it? It is hard to hold together when the temperature is chilly and you're trying to do something with both hands while keeping your cloak gathered about you? What about wearing it outside in the rain? Does your cloak become soaked immediately? How much heavier does it become when rain-soaked? If it is wool, what does it smell like when wet? How difficult is it to walk up and down stairs while wearing your cloak without tripping?

If you are really interested in experiencing a bit more first-hand, spend a night sleeping outside on the ground wrapped in your cloak. How hard is it to get comfortable? Is it warm enough outside to roll your cape up for a pillow or so cold that you huddle in a tight ball within it?

You can usually pick up a toy sword at the discount stores for about a dollar; try slipping it inside a belt around your waist and practice throwing back you cape so that you can reach for your sword. It does indeed take a bit of practice before this can happen with any amount of speed or agility. Or, what about a cheap dime-store bow and arrow? How easy is it to pull your bow from under your cloak and notch an arrow to it?

Although just one small example, I hope that this will help you consider ways in which you can begin to more intimately know about the world you are building and writing in and open you to more possibilities so you can better "know what you write."