Absolutely! I've incorporated many things from my life into my fantasy, but one that stands out is from when I was writing book 2 in Tompkin's School (A Supernatural Academy Trilogy). I was in New York and whenever I needed a writing break I would go out and walk to find inspiration. On one of my walks a homeless man shouted "do you have a heart full of diamonds today?". The question struck something within me and I just knew I had to put it into my novel. It appears in the very first chapter of Tompkin's School: For The Dearly Departed.
There are many elements that contribute to good writing in my opinion, but some of the most important include:
1. Clarity and brevity. Good writing is clear and the point. It doesn't try to shove a whole bunch of information at once, or meander off into tangents. Each sentence should have a specific purpose that moves the plot forward.
2. A strong voice. A good writer's voice comes through in their writing. It should be confident, engaging, and echo the genre of the book. This is one of the things that can make reading a pleasure or a chore. If the voice isn't there, it can be very difficult to get through even a short piece of writing.
