Christina,

Excellent piece. Very thoughtful.

I’m doing well writing personal essays here on Medium. Yes, there are times when what I have shared scares the hell out of me. I try to walk the line between discussing vulnerable topics authentically and transparently while avoiding cheap, thrill-seeking ones. I choose my stories for their purpose rather than shock value. I think readers know when something is done for healthy vs. voyeuristic reasons. And they don’t appreciate being used.

And you’re right regarding the importance of digging deep. I’m still learning how to do so. Workshopping and getting content editing advice have been very helpful to me. Others can often see the areas I’ve glossed over or missed.

Take my latest story on being a bald woman – a journalist friend pointed out several angles that had been short changed in that essay. Her insights were very valuable and greatly improved the story.

Thank you for deconstructing what successful confessional writers are doing that works. Super interesting.

All the best!

Kerry