Sometimes, Use Your Axe

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Sometimes we must use our axe.  Every life has encounters with real villains. When we worry about being nice, not wanting to offend anyone, we often refuse the soul of our story. Too many writers put down their project because they are afraid to offend. (This silence by the way tends to perpetuate the harm). 

Be kind (to yourself and others) but stay in the fight.
Use your axe, write about evil doers or threats without holding back. 

Who are the villains in your life?  Write about that. 
What are you afraid to write?  Write about that. 
What do you think will happen if you write about "that"?   

When writing the first drafts, write it all down.  Leave nothing out. Avoid nothing. Protect no one.  Later, if you choose, you can remove these uncomfortable, unfortunate pieces. (A likely loss for the reader). 

When you feel yourself withholding because you don't want to reflect on, or write about someone's cruelty, consider the context of the villain's life. This is macro-writing. When we write about the villain and just focus on their behavior, we are micro-writing.  To bring a story to its fullness, we want both. We want the close-in and personal and the contextual, the macro level of story. So when writing about your abusive parent you may want to include some on their past. (The past is not an excuse mind you, simply a fuller story. And with a fuller story there is more empathy). 

Raise your voice on the page. 
Keep the narrative active, forward moving.
Use your axe.