Only the second exercise in and I hit a very touchy topic. The only images of red I see strongly come from a very dark event in my childhood; an event that I recently came to the realization that actually happened.

As a budding writer, these exercises are very important to me,because I believe strongly in whatever Natalie is cooking. I have to dive in fully naked before I can know the real depths of my writing. I have to cry as well as laugh before I understand life; mine in particular.

I cannot fear shocking anyone with the truth, especially myself.

I am throwing all this up as a warning.

The names and faces have been changed to protect the innocent….sound familiar? Alex, if you feel you can right it and change it so no one really recognizes it…it becomes a work of fiction.

That Human Storms piece I submitted…Buddy that is about as real as it gets! The ending was different but let’s just say I knew little Veronica very well.

On the one hand, of course there are issues to consider with serious stories that involve real people — as in could there be any actual consequences to particular people stumbling into them and how much might need to be altered to prevent that (ie just name changes, or more than that)?

As for shocking people, though… I would say not to worry about that one. I would say that’s probably okay.

Goldberg writes on pg. 10, “Digging up the dark world, the things you don’t remember, releases a lot of energy. Bring to light things that have been covered up for a long time and they snap and crackle… too much control leads to dull writing. Lose control. Let the mute, the silent speak. If you avoid a corner or crag, the reader will feel it.”

I have thought about the fact that this is a very public forum and that some things may be difficult to publish. As Karen says above, so Goldberg also says that there are consequences if the wrong person reads what you have written. So, if some things are better left for your private journal, so be it. You can still tell us about the experience.