A Writer's Book of Days - Judy Reeves Avoiding the Truth One way or another, writing brings us to our truth, which is not always the destination for which we bought a ticket. The truth can feel dangerous - like you're exposing yourself or teling secrets. Sometimes, without even knowing it, we avoid, sidestep, bypass, or otherwise circumnavigate the truth in our writing. Here are some checkpoints to look for in your writing that indicate you might be avoiding the truth: Changing the subject. Nattering on and on about meaningless details. Closing up. Becoming glib. Being nice. Using generalities instead of specifics. Hurrying along. Looking the other way. Ignoring the naked emporer riding by and the elephant in the living room. Glossing over the top, like a coat of wax. Affecting attitude; posing. Tap-dancing around the topic. Killing the messenger (getting rid of a character, one way or another). Filling the stage (bringing in a host of characters to distract, like company). Leaving the scene (someone exits). Bringing in outside forces (suddenly, the phone rang; someone knocked; lightening struck). Abandoning the piece. Starting something entirely new, on a different topic. Not writing. These avoidances in writing are just like avoidances in real life, except perhaps more obvious and lasting because they're in black and white. Writing the truth is always a challenge to the writer. This is what the great American novelist Willa Cather said: "Artistic growth is, more than it is anything else, a refining of the sense of truthfulness. The stupid believe that to be truthful is easy; only the artist, the great artist, knows how difficult it is."