As writers, as human beings, we go through very difficult times in our lives. No one has escaped experiencing challenging or even life altering circumstances. If you haven’t, like a pastor in my life used to say, keep living. As a writer, scribe, or storyteller, you sometimes face the challenge of, how do I express this in writing without uncovering other people? For many of us, writing is very cathartic; it can allow you to get out things that even a therapist can’t pry out. Although some things are not always for public consumption, it can help you as a writer to get out or sort out traumatic experiences. However, what if that trauma involves more than just you and a stranger? Most traumas in our lives happen very close to home, if not at home. You want to tell it all, but others don’t. You received healing and some breakthrough, but others are still in denial. What do you do?
I was faced with this as I was finishing up my first book. It took me, I believe, longer to finish the book because I was reminded by my editor that I had to eventually talk about the contents of the book. My book, by the way, is a fiction, however, a lot of the content is based on true events. I would suggest putting some of those topics in a fiction form or at least “based on a true story”. This will allow you to change names where needed and/or use creative license to tell your story. This will allow you to get some of your story out, and at the same time, protect those you love and care for. I believe everything should be done with taste and integrity.
For those of you who would prefer to do non-fiction, there is still a way to tell your story in the most integrase way possible. I would suggest, first, journaling to get some things out. This will help with healing and sometimes even deliverance. Spilling other people’s “tea” or business shouldn’t be your goal. Your goal should be freedom and healing for you and others. Healing comes in all different forms. Your healing might be writing your story, others’ healing might be reading your story. Try to always keep in mind, who can I help with this? What advice would you give the broken you from years past? How did you get through your trauma and situation. Let’s not pretend, also, that there are still some things that could also be a healing in progress. Those things we should tread lightly with because we, obviously, don’t have the full healing experience, but we can encourage others with the scriptures, books, etc. that may be helping us on the journey to healing.
The bottom line is, there is always space and time to write those hard stories and issues, but you must practice wisdom and honor. Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: And with all thy getting, get understanding.” And the scripture goes on to say that wisdom promotes you with honor, so, there is a reward for doing things the wise way. Of course, there’s always going to be someone that’s going to be offended. It’s really hard to avoid that, but you can pray that they come to the freedom and healing that you’ve come to or are at least still on the journey to seek. However you choose to get your story out, just get it out! Happy writing!
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