How To Write Personal Stories Without Being Too Personal

Barbara J. Martin
Write A Catalyst
Published in
3 min readJun 2, 2024

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And they can still be amazing

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

I get it.

You don’t want to reveal too much of yourself in your stories. There’s a certain threshold of privacy you’d like to maintain yet still write that personal narrative.

Well, there is a way without sharing that innermost part of yourself.

How?

By writing from a distance while still keeping that personal element.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

What the heck does that mean?

I like to write intense stuff because that’s my personality. I always focus on my emotional investment in the story and innermost thoughts. I try to bring the reader right smack into my world and let them live my story like I did, with all the feelings and emotions I experienced at the time.

That’s just my style, but you can have your own and tone it down.

You can still write a personal narrative with a meaningful message for the reader without divulging personal stuff. Meaning, you can dilute it from your personal perspective by writing from a distance.

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Barbara J. Martin
Write A Catalyst

I live off grid in a small cabin by the ocean in Maine with my two dogs. It's the perfect writer's retreat and love the peace and quiet.