I'm wanting to write a book about healing from childhood trauma, which means including details of my trauma. I have wrestled with leaving things out to spare the feelings of family members. Your post has helped me see that I have to be truthful to myself in order to help others.
I love the answer to this question, Allison. It definitely took courage for you to write "Blood." But at the same time, I suspect it was very therapeutic just getting it out. It was for me when I wrote the true story about my late husband and myself. I laughed, cried, gave up a time or two, and everything else in between, but four books later, the story is told and I am cleansed. I love what you said in this line: "If I don’t share my experience then what good can my having gone through it come to?" So true! So true!
Hi Allison, thank you so much for the response. One of the things I appreciate most about the way you share your processes (artistic and emotional) is it helps the rest of us realize that our experiences are not unique! I agree wholeheartedly that people recognize when an artist is not being truthful/being a hack. An author I admired as a kid once inscribed a book for me with the words "I hope you find your voice," and I think I'm just now growing into understanding how profound that wish was and how much work it takes to do it if you've been a chameleon for a long time. Anyway, thank you for this forum and for taking the time to respond in such depth.
I'm wanting to write a book about healing from childhood trauma, which means including details of my trauma. I have wrestled with leaving things out to spare the feelings of family members. Your post has helped me see that I have to be truthful to myself in order to help others.
I love the answer to this question, Allison. It definitely took courage for you to write "Blood." But at the same time, I suspect it was very therapeutic just getting it out. It was for me when I wrote the true story about my late husband and myself. I laughed, cried, gave up a time or two, and everything else in between, but four books later, the story is told and I am cleansed. I love what you said in this line: "If I don’t share my experience then what good can my having gone through it come to?" So true! So true!
Hi Allison, thank you so much for the response. One of the things I appreciate most about the way you share your processes (artistic and emotional) is it helps the rest of us realize that our experiences are not unique! I agree wholeheartedly that people recognize when an artist is not being truthful/being a hack. An author I admired as a kid once inscribed a book for me with the words "I hope you find your voice," and I think I'm just now growing into understanding how profound that wish was and how much work it takes to do it if you've been a chameleon for a long time. Anyway, thank you for this forum and for taking the time to respond in such depth.