How many times do we hear this? And yet, we try to transfer our experiences, our knowledge, into fiction. Well, a bunch of writers I know do this, and so do I.
The question is, how do you deal with friends or loved ones who think you’re writing about them? Many times I try to imagine crazy things, but that doesn’t mean it’s based off anyone near and dear to me.
Just curious what the writers out there think.
Ransom Noble 
If I were to write what I know I would be done writing by now. I think we can draw on experiences and use that to our advantage, after that we can just make stuff up.
But aren’t you still learning?
I agree we make stuff up. That’s the fun part.
I think that sometimes the “friend and family” readers want to see themselves in our writing because that makes them feel important, whether it is good or bad. Because, for me, even if I base a character from someone I actually know, that character seems to take off on its own and ends up nothing like the initial person.
My epic fantasy series is a good example. I got the idea in high school, and based the main characters of me and some friends. The idea has evolved from people in a game to an elven, magical type story. The characters are on their own now and have developed well beyond any sign of the people from which they were first created.
That’s a good point about friends and family. Thanks, and good luck.