Writing About Trauma With Honesty, Not Shock Value
Stories about trauma have become more common over the last several years, and I think that's a good thing. Readers deserve stories that don't shy away from difficult subjects.
At the same time, I believe there's an important difference between writing about trauma and using trauma simply to shock the reader.
As an author, that difference mattered to me while writing The Fall.
Trauma Isn't the Story
Claire's experiences shape who she becomes, but they don't define her.
When I started writing The Fall, I never wanted readers to remember only what happened to her. I wanted them to remember who she was.
She's funny.
She's stubborn.
She makes mistakes.
She loves deeply.
She questions herself.
She keeps going.
Those qualities matter just as much as the difficult experiences she faces.
If readers finish the book thinking only about the abuse, then I haven't done my job as a storyteller.
I hope they finish thinking about Claire.
Healing Doesn't Follow a Timeline
One thing I wanted to avoid was the idea that healing happens because of one conversation or one life-changing moment.
Real life isn't like that.
Sometimes healing means taking one small step forward and two steps back.
Sometimes it means learning to trust yourself again.
Sometimes it simply means getting through another day.
Those quieter moments interested me far more than dramatic scenes ever could.
Why Hope Matters
I don't believe stories have to end perfectly.
Life doesn't.
But I do believe readers deserve hope.
Hope doesn't erase pain.
It doesn't erase loss.
It doesn't erase trauma.
What it does is remind us that difficult experiences don't have the final word.
That was the story I wanted to tell with The Fall.
Why I Write These Stories
I write about difficult subjects because they're part of life.
But I also write about friendship.
Love.
Family.
Second chances.
Dogs who somehow know exactly when we need them most.
Laughter in the middle of hard seasons.
The quiet moments that remind us we're still moving forward.
Those are the stories I want to keep telling.
Thank you for reading.
Warmly,
Tina Messineo