As for ethical implications, mind your motives before working on your memoir. Why do you want to expose a slice of your life, to begin with? If you’re disgruntled over someone and you want to embarrass this person through your writing, you may be courting legal trouble. This is a litigious society we’re living in, where everyone is protective of their image and reputation. On the other hand, if you’re writing to share experiences and aim to show readers how you gained wisdom from your experience, then good for you. This is not a lecture on moral choices, rather, just a cautious reminder to assess your motivation.

Okay, you say that revenge writing is one of the most satisfying works that the writer as an artist can create, much like Taylor Swift writing songs about her exes. Have you thought long and hard about it? If you’re a beginning writer, do you need sensationalism that will get you into trouble? We all want to lash out at the people who, at some point in our lives, have done us wrong. Yes, to lash out against them through the might of your pen liberates you from the cramped hatred that has accumulated inside you through the years. But then what would be the outcome? If you find yourself facing a legal battle in exchange, is it worth it?

Changing names to protect identities? If mean people in your life are essential in your memoir, then you may want to tweak their identities as well as the locations in your memoir. This can prove handy for the purpose of first-hand accounts that are not 100% accurate in your recall. If you’re operating on speculation about a co-worker who was pilfering the office supplies, change his name and the name of your company.

Still, changing the names of people and places is not a fool-proof method. Any person who has been involved in your life will see himself in your writing. In Running With Scissors, Augusten Burroughs was sued by the family of Dr. Rodolph H. Turcotte for defamation and invasion of privacy. The family stated that they were the basis for the fabricated Finch family in Burroughs’ memoir. Fortunately, Sony Pictures Entertainment stepped in to settle the case. Who would step in for you if you ever got into this kind of trouble?

On the other hand, putting real names and places can also face ramifications among people involved—psychologically and emotionally. If you rant about your Uncle Steve calling your mom a hooker who married your dad for the money and both Uncle Steve and your mom read it, imagine the degree of awkwardness that will ensue in your family circle during gatherings. Think of how people in your life will function after your exposé.

A sense of accountability is necessary to get you prepared if you choose this kind of writing. No matter what your intentions are, there will always be someone that will never be pleased with your work. If you wrote your memoir with the sole purpose of telling the truth from the best of your knowledge, then you’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep.

So are you up to it?