Every writer begins somewhere. For many, that place is a classroom, under the guidance of a writing teacher who means well but may unknowingly pass along rigid rules disguised as universal truths. Looking back, some of the most persistent writing advice I received turned out to be more myth than method. Well-intentioned, yes—but misleading all the same.

Here are a few of the biggest lies my writing teacher told me.

1. “Write What You Know”
This phrase has haunted generations of writers, often misunderstood to mean your stories must be confined to personal experience. The truth? Great writing comes not from what you know, but from what you’re willing to explore. Empathy, curiosity, and imagination are just as valid as memory. Some of the most powerful fiction springs from writing what you want to understand, not just what you already do.

2. “Good Writing Follows the Rules”
Grammar has its place. So does structure. But the best writing often breaks the rules—with purpose. Some of the most compelling voices in literature don’t color inside the lines. They reshape the lines altogether. The point is not to abandon form, but to know it well enough to bend it into something honest, something alive.

3. “Don’t Use the Word ‘I’”
The idea that first-person writing is inherently self-indulgent is both outdated and wrong. Some truths can only be told in the first person. The fear of sounding too personal has muted countless authentic voices. The key isn’t avoiding “I”—it’s using it with intention and clarity.

4. “Your Thesis Must Come in the First Paragraph”
This one might work in a high school essay, but in the real world, strong writing doesn’t always reveal its purpose right away. Sometimes it circles, builds, leads the reader into unfamiliar terrain before delivering its punch. And that’s okay. Not every idea wants to be blurted out in the first breath.

5. “You Have to Be Born a Writer”
The myth of the “natural” writer is one of the most damaging. Writing is not magic—it’s a craft. You don’t need to be born with a gift. You need to practice, fail, read deeply, and rewrite often. Talent may help, but persistence wins every time.

6. “Good Writing Is Always Serious”
No. Good writing is true. It can be sharp, hilarious, heartbreaking, messy. It can laugh at itself or dive deep into silence. Writing that resonates doesn’t always whisper solemn wisdom—it sometimes shouts, jokes, stumbles, or sings.

What I’ve learned since those early classrooms is that writing isn’t about following a narrow path. It’s about finding your own. Teachers give us tools—but not every tool belongs in your toolbox forever. Some you outgrow. Others you never needed in the first place.

And maybe the biggest truth? The best writing teacher is often the blank page—because it demands only one thing: your voice, unfiltered.