We’ve all heard the old adage, “Write what you know,” and it’s true that every individual writer comes to the page equipped with a unique tool that can’t be taught: their own life story. But the adage can actually be a drawback for fiction writers, as it can trap writers in the “But it really happened” mindset (which can limit your story potential). The truth may be stranger than fiction…but it doesn’t always make the best story. A series of exercises will help you mine for and unearth great material from your life, and give you lots of tips (and traps to avoid) for using them as inspiration for great fiction.