Day to Day happenings in my life

Honesty in writing. What does that mean?

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Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024  (13+) Blogging event from September 1-7, 2024. Closed. #2277665 by WakeUpAndLive~doingNaNo'24

https://youtu.be/qg0_FinB6EE
I listened to Neil Gaiman on the short video and considered his words about being honest and wondered how that pertained to my writing. What is honesty in writing? Does it mean you always fact check? Or maybe one should only write what one has experienced? If that was so most story writers would struggle to write a story or a novel unless of course it was biographical.
I think he meant about making his characters believable, taken from life and their life experiences.
I’ve been writing for only a short time, five years out of my almost eighty and would have found inhabiting the personas of characters I write about very difficult if I was really young. I know there are many fine young writers but are they able to be honest when a character in their story is really old? They have the concept of the aged, but is it a true portrayal? Is it honest? Maybe it would be if they were writing someone who is like their grandparent and as they write they use that honest voice.
I personally love writing dialogue, but often find myself using voices of people I have known, some from decades ago. They are still in my mind even though I’ve not heard their actual voices for so long.
I suppose Neil meant too, we need to know ourselves, not hide behind unbelievable characters. It doesn’t really matter the genre, people are people never mind the setting or era. Basically humans remain the same at the core. Same needs, wants and emotions.
Recently I was asked to write a poem about my failings and insecurities. I immediately turned the page so to speak. But it had set my mind wonder as to what those failings were. So I did what Neil suggested and unrobed to the world, (or just the few who actually read it)!
This is Me (E)
A poem about hidden insecurities
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