Ricky Gervais is one of the most brilliant comedic writers around. He created the award winning series The Office, hosted the Golden Globes twice and has a new show on Netflix called Derek.

But he learned his most valuable writing lesson when he was 13-years-old, while trying to get back at a teacher.

See also: 11 Comedian Quotes for When Your Job Makes You Want to Cry

In the first installment of Fast Company's "Creation Stories" — a series that aims to "entertain while shedding some light on the creative process" — Gervais explains his writing process. He describes that while writing "the most boring story in the world," he actually learned a valuable lesson: "Write what you know."

What's the best writing advice you've heard? Watch the video, and let us know in the comments below.

Homepage image: Fast Company, YouTube