Don't worry about doing research. Just search.
You are, in fact, a mashup of what you choose to let into your life.
Copying is about reverse-engineering.
The best advice is not to write what you know, it's to write what you like. Write the kind of story you like best - write the story you want to read. The same principle applies to your life and your career.
Don't wait until you know who you are to get started.
Inertia is the death of creativity