I would really like to write a book about my life. How can I not hurt/offend some family members?

Question

I have wanted to write the book for some time and feel that people in my family will be hurt. I worry about my mom. She knows about my wanting to do this. But half of my life experiences she knows nothing of. I have started, then put off this project several times. I was just looking for a little input.

Answer 1

You may want to rethink doing this at all. It's really like a diary put out for others more than anything else.

Unless you're somewhat famous, no one will buy your autobiography.

When you write this type book, dates, times and places must all be 100% accurate and that's pretty tough to do.

However, fictional writing, dates, times and places can be whatever you decide......you also can fudge with the truth and glamorize as you choose. You can take from your own experiences and add to them, without having to explain or feel embarassed by your friends and family reading - because they know it's fictional and probably not the true story.

What you're talking about doing is an expose' that if telling the truth - including the dark and dirty parts - and opening your life to be judged (perhaps harshly) by those closest to you.

Writing is great ...... Autobiographies are not the greatest.

Answer 2

Writing about people carries this risk of hurting them. I wrote a book and realized no matter how hard I tried people could still trace and identify themselves from events and other people. I talked to my mother. It was basically a story about her family and my close association with it. She said it would not be worth it if even one family member feels hurt. What I did was to change the names and places and put some years before or after a certain event. That way I found out that when completed, it was almost impossible for any one to say that he or she has found herself in the whole scenario. People wondered when they found some striking similarity but stopped when the name, place and times were found to be co incidental. It would be better to write an initial page describing your intention of not hurting anyone. That should suffice. Readers tend to pass through it and go on to next event if not very strongly reminded of their lives. In the last you can keep yourself thinking while writing that you would not like to hurt anybody. That helps. Good luck:)

Answer 3

What? You're going to release or print your diary with real names? If not, then why are you afraid of your families reaction?

I presume you're writing a book to sell, so write it under an alias and give the people in your book different names. This way you're still able to tell your life story and have people read about without knowing the specifics of who these people are.

Answer 4

you can lie...but then whats the point. When people write about themselves and their experiences you can't worry about the feedback...its the chance you take. You can let the family or friends know your writing the book about YOU and you apologize upfront if anyone is hurt or offended by it.

Answer 5

uh guy good it wasn't quite my loved ones it was once random individuals or my historic associates. regularly telling me to do that or difference that. As moms whether or not we're first time moms or now not have a motherly intuition, regularly we do want a few recommendation, or even then its now not quite recommendation its higher strategies then what we in the beginning needed to support deal with the youngster. I was once studying in a journal in these days that once individuals being loved ones peers or w/e begin appearing like they wrote the publication on being pregnant, simply thank them for the recommendation and inform them when you've got anymore questions you'll be able to name them later, or you'll say that you simply admire the recommendation and you'll be able to speak in your husband/boyfriend approximately it later that night.

Answer 6

You could explain to your mom before publishing what all is in the book but their isn't much you can do to prevent hurting everyone's feelings.

Answer 7

Make like someone write it for you.

Answer 8

dont put ur name on book

Answer 9

Don't write it

Answer 10

better avoid ur name and ur family name and ur location !