Writing a Novel Inspired by Your Life?
Do's and Don'ts of Autobiographical Fiction plus TONS of writing resources!
*For writing news and resources, scroll down.*
I finished writing my TENTH novel*
Well, I did it. I finished writing the first draft of my adult thriller.
Now I will read through the manuscript and make changes. Then I will send it to a trusted first reader and use their feedback to embark on a revision. I’m getting better at first drafts, but I’m sure this thing still needs all kinds of betterment that I can’t see right now because I’m too close to it.
My novel’s protagonist is a stay-at-home mom with two kids: a baby boy and a three-year-old girl. At the beginning of the novel she’s touched-out, dangerously sleep-deprived, and confused about her identity and sexuality.
It wasn’t hard for me to write from that perspective. It wasn’t long ago that I was home all day with a three-year-old and a baby, feeling touched-out, sleep-deprived, and worried I was not-so-slowly losing my mind. (To add to the intensity, this was in 2020, the start of COVID.)
My novel goes in all sorts of high-intensity, thriller-type directions. Stalking, obsession, polyamory, attempted murder. Believe me, it’s not based on my life. My life is (thankfully) much more boring.
But the main character… many of her feelings and experiences are inspired by my own. Like the part where she accidentally steps barefooted in her toddler’s poop. Or when she feels like a failure as a mother, a wife, a human being. Yep. I still feel that way sometimes, even though things are easier now that my daughters are both in school. (Home schooling parents, I don’t know how you are sane right now. Just sayin’.)
*Note, some of my novels are much better than others. The first two I wrote in my early twenties were so bad we maybe shouldn’t count them at all.
Should you use your own experiences in your fiction?
I used to think it was cheating to use too much of my own life in my fiction, but I have changed my tune on that. The YA novel I recently turned into my agent was definitely inspired by my life. I took an actual traumatic incident that happened to me at nineteen, made it even more traumatic, added some paranormal elements, then let the story go deep into fictional territory.
I even set the novel in my hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, something I’d never done before because… I guess because I thought people would roll their eyes and think “oh, Eva’s setting this in Roanoke? Well, the main character is obviously a thinly-veiled version of her.”
Now that I’m older, I don’t really care if people think that. Yes, the main character is like me in some ways. And also not like me in some ways. I believe that all my characters are, in one way or another, various versions of me or versions of people I know.
Creating fiction is kind of like dreaming. Our brains take everything — life events, people we’ve known, everything we’ve ever read or heard or watched or thought — and stir it together to create a new story.
I guess I’m getting more comfortable with admitting that yeah, of course I use my own experiences to inspire my fiction. Why not? Not to sound vain, but I’ve got some great material.
Fact doesn’t always make good fiction
Writing novels inspired by your life is not without its challenges. One of the biggest challenges is figuring out what to include and what doesn’t serve the story. Just because “it really happened that way” doesn’t mean it should happen that way in your fiction. And just because something is interesting to you doesn’t always mean it will be interesting to a reader who is not your close friend or family member.
It’s best to think of the real event from your life as a jumping off point. How could you increase the drama or tension? What if you had made a different choice? Imagine if your story was a thriller or a mystery — how would it change? Imagine if it had happened in a fantasy world or sci-fi scenario. Don’t stay married to the truth. Use the real emotions but let the story run fast into fiction.
The advice “write what you know” doesn’t mean you should write things exactly the way they happened. But you can use real life events as a starting place, as an inspiration. You can also write about the real emotions, but put them into a fictional character and/or fictional situation.
I know I’m not the only one who mines my real life for novel ideas. This article continues to be one of the most popular ones on my website: Writing a Novel Inspired by Your Life? The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Autobiographical Fiction. I wrote it many years ago, when I was working on a novel inspired by some entries in my eighth grade diary, but I recently revisited it, and the advice still holds up. Check it out!
Writing News & Resources:
For All Writers:
Creating Tension, Conflict, and Stakes in a Story Webinar is happening on April 11 with agent CeCe Lyra, plus a live Q&A session on April 15th in which attendees can ask CeCe questions.
Did you see this list from The Atlantic of The Great American Novels from each decade?
Check out this upcoming Not Quite Write Flash Fiction Contest: April 19-20.
If you’re a U.S. resident, you can join the Penguin Random House Reader’s Lounge and be part of a research community of book lovers. Read books, fill out surveys, and influence publishing decisions like cover designs, titles, topics, and more. Plus, win free books!
The Writers Center website is a GREAT resource for finding grants, fellowships, residencies & retreats, publishers (who publish non-agented authors), and literary journal opportunities.
Short on time? The NYC Midnight 100-word Microfiction Challenge starts April 19.
If you struggle to keep your writing life organized, Paulette Perhach is offering a special, early-subscriber deal to the first 1,000 people who sign up for the Writer's Mission Control Center: $5/month for life. (Thanks to
for this item.)Ready Chapter 1 is a community-powered platform connecting book publishers with undiscovered writers. Find peer critiques and more.
Check out all the many upcoming online craft workshops from Savvy Authors!
Writing Workshops also offers lots of online classes in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, picture books, and the business of writing.
Need a template for a nonfiction book proposal? Here’s one from Neon Literary!
The Women’s Fiction Writers Association has a TON of free writing workshops, critique groups, and webinars, plus upcoming mentorship opportunities.
Check out the meet-up group called Shut Up & Write. There are in-person chapters all over the country, as well online events.
The Writer’s Atelier has a free online writing community with virtual events.
Cheshire Novel Prize hosts a FREE group on their private app called Writers Space where you can talk about writing, ask for BETA readers, and connect with other writers.
Ready to submit a story? Check out this list of 40 Free Writing Contests! And of course, check out NewPages for submission calls from literary magazines and journals.
Check out my list of writing and publishing resources — my very favorite books, websites, and podcasts on writing, publishing, and the creative life.
For KidLit Writers:
Thank you to theWriteMentor Newsletterfor the following items:
6-week rhyming picture book course with Catherine Emmett. Starts April 17th.
6-week advanced picture book course with Clare Helen Welsh. Starts May 20th.
The Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition 2024 is now OPEN! Closes 1st June.
Literary Rambles has information on kidlit agents and agent interviews.
From Bitsy Kemper’s blog: over 100 publishers accepting unsolicited picture book manuscripts. (Updated June 2023)
Check out this incredible list of upcoming events for KidLit writers!
Have you joined SCBWI (The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators)? They have events, conferences, and it’s a great way to find critique partners and beta readers, for everything from picture books to young adult novels.
For Querying Writers:
Here’s a list of small publishers, most of which do not require agents.
- is offering a FREE webinar on April 11: Writing an Irresistible Query Workshop.
Here’s a query letter template from agent Samantha Wekstein and lots of querying advice from agent Eric Smith.
Every Friday, Operation Awesome offers one free query critique through their #QueryFriday contest.
Pitch contests have mostly move off of Twitter(“X”), but some seem to be coming back (for now). These events can sometimes feel like a bunch of authors screaming into the void, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to try. After all, I found my agent through a Twitter pitch party. I am now an official success story. So mark your calendar for these upcoming pitch parties.
#KidLitPit on May 30 for picture books through YA.
#JoyPit on June 7 for lighthearted feel-good books
I occasionally choose a subscriber for a FREE submission package critique. Send me your query letter and the first two pages of your manuscript, and, if you’re the winner of the month, I will send you in-depth feedback on both. Interested in receiving a critique? Fill out the form here.
Writing Conferences & Events:
Live in the mid-Atlantic region and looking for a writing retreat get-away?
2024 Writing Retreats at ZigBone Farm (Just one hour from DC/Baltimore area in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains). MD residents can apply for a grant to help cover costs!
April 7-12: Spring Creative Writing with award-winning writer Diana Friedman. For all writers who want help getting started, shaping and refining existing work, as well as time to write and bond with other writers.
July 28 - Aug 2: Summer Novel Writing with award-winning author Tammy Greenwood. For writers at all stages of the journey.
The Writer’s Retreat at Good Contrivance Farm. Open year-round, the only requirement for this peaceful retreat north of Baltimore is that you use the time to work on your writing. Spaces normally book about two months in advance.
Thinking about going to a conference or applying for a residency? Check out the free searchable database on Poets & Writers.
The Writing Day Workshop “How to Get Published” Conferences will held both online and in person this year. Plus, sign up for pitch sessions with agents for $29 a piece. Check out the upcoming conferences:
Writers Digest offers loads of virtual conferences on a variety of publishing and writing craft topics.
Washington Writers Conference, being held in Bethesda, MD May 3-4, 2024.
Gaithersburg Book Festival (in the DC area): May 18, 2024. See you there!
For more writing conferences, check out this list or the free searchable database on Poets & Writers.
Wow, so much of your article feels like you are inside my own head. I love your line "Our brains take everything ... and stir together to create a new story. " It's very comforting to be reminded that I am not the only writer figuring out how to mesh true life with fiction.
One of the issues for my first draft of Electric Fantasy Land is that my small critique group would like a stronger conflict, introduced earlier, with less subtle humor. It appears that I have been writing a bildungsroman genre (I only recently learned about this) in which the protagonist learns and grows emotionally during the novel. Oh, well. I'll keep doing what feels right to me. If it doesn't work out, I will have enjoyed the lesson.
Hi Eva! Nice article. I followed a couple of links. One thing most tickled my curiosity.... In the draft of your autobiographical novel... What was the line you lifted from your diary? 🤔🤔😁