: Re: Is it fine to write something that has no relation to my local life or language or culture? I am writing a novel (well, I have started to), with a fantasy middle ages and magic sort of

@Jessie137

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It's fine to write whatever you want. Go for it and see where it leads you! At this point, focus on establishing a writing habit and learning what works. If you need a guide, I highly recommend this book by the Gotham Writers' Workshop: Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School.

Also, if you're a young writer, take a minute to imagine in your mind's eye, putting on a thick skin, the pelt of a courageous animal, like a tiger or a wolf. Parents, schoolteachers, friends, siblings, writers, and other non-writers, despite their best intentions, sometimes say things that will discourage you. The pelt will soften the blow, allow gentle constructive criticism to enter, and enable you to carry on.

Many famous writers who work in English come from non-English speaking backgrounds and cultures. They often bring a unique perspective to their subjects and a fresh use of the language. These two articles provide some great examples of that:

New York Times: Using the Foreign to Grasp the Familiar
Rawlangs: Multilingualism and literature: 10 authors who write in other languages

Everyone who sets their stories in a fictional culture, or a realistic culture that existed almost one thousand years ago, is writing about a foreign language and culture.

I hope this helps. Keep on writing!

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