A writer writes.  At least that is what I am constantly reminding myself.

And sometimes, they write about their own life issues, as I have been known to do on occasion.

My goal is not to offend, it is simply to tell MY truth or MY story.  

Sometimes my story intersects with someone else’s and then I have some decisions to make.  First of all I have to decide if I’m going to tell the story.  Then I have to decide how to tell the story.  And finally, I have to decide when to tell the story.

If I tell a story that involves someone else’s story, it’s because I’ve learned something about myself.

The how of telling a story involves knowing which details to add, and which to leave out.  Somethings don’t need to be said, and yet some stories can’t truly be told without key details. I make up names like The Man and The Girl (although you all clearly know who I’m talking about) so that there is always room for doubt.

As for when I tell a story- it’s when I need to, when it speaks to me, or when it is ready to be told. This applies to my personal essays, as well as my fiction.

So, sometimes I will write about my life as it intersects with someone else’s.

And I will put on my Big Girl Panties and deal with the consequences because this is about being true to myself, as well as what I want to do as writer.