: Re: Writing what my family may not want to read I am going through a difficult time in my life and, as a keen amateur writer I’m seriously considering writing about my experience. My motivation

@Kaufman555

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I would normally advise to write it as you think it should be written. It is your artwork, made out of a piece of your most personal experience. Having reached the point that you feel you are ready to share it, you should provide it as it comes most natural to you to tell it. This means writing in the manner, with the style and registry, and with the accuracy of references that you see best fit to your artwork.

However, as this touches something so dear to you that reactions of others are likely to have a profound impact on your feelings, I would rather recommend to re-elaborate your work further. You can turn it into a work of fiction, alter the references to places, times and people, and even some events, which are of secondary importance, can be reshaped to calm down the critics.

It is also important that you are honest with yourself in understanding why you wish to write about it. If it is meant to be a relief from the burden of carrying such experience within yourself, then you can select readers that will be able to understand your history; if it is meant to be for others who may be in your situation now, or have been in your past situation, then these should be your readers too. If it is for everyone, then I'd suggest again to turn it into a work of fiction, even into an allegory if needed, given that the critiques may still be too heavy for your taste.

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