The Home of Forgotten Stories

I’m a big proponent of the “fuck fear, it does you no good” school of thought when it comes to writing, but now, when it’s time to put my money where my mouth is, I’m afraid I’m failing.

I’ve written something that I’m afraid for people to read. More to the point, I published it. More to the point, it’s getting attention. And I am terrified out of my wits right now.

It’s autobiographical, is the problem.

It’s autobiographical and involves other people, is the next problem.

At least one of those people is depicted unfavorably, is yet a further problem.

I’m afraid I may have gotten the details wrong. I’m afraid that this story isn’t really mine to tell. I’m afraid of repercussions. I never intended to publish a memoir of any kind, because frankly, I’m a coward. If I weren’t a coward, this site would have my name pasted all over it.

And yet, here I am. In a very uncomfortable position, because I wrote something that I never expected would get any attention at all, and then, SURPRISE!

The worst feeling, and the whole reason I write fiction to begin with, is that I’m using something that happened to me and other people as fodder for recognition. I feel exploitative. The fact that it worked makes me feel even worse.

So I’ve been a little quiet lately. Not exactly sure what to do. But things in my writing life certainly got interesting, and fast.

Edit: I requested that it be removed from the site. I’m not ready for this yet.