I found Lopate’s reminder than one’s reader does not have the same context for who you are to be a valuable reminder. It seems obvious that a person you may have never met would not have the necessary context to intuitively know about the intimate or relevant details of your life, but at times I feel so wrapped up in the experience of being me that this truth can be easily forgotten. Furthermore, Lopate emphasized the importance of pushing through the inevitable discomfort that comes with personal writing. You must avoid the tendency to over glamorize yourself but avoiding excessive demonization is equally important. This balance requires honest introspection that deters many from this type of writing. You are required to recognize that you have many flaws and be willing to explore these shortcomings.

I plan to integrate this advice into my own writing by finding ways to include personal details in my writing. Lopate explained that details as trivial where you grew up or what your family situation was like can be important details to cultivate a relationship with readers. It is these types of descriptors that I most frequently exclude because they feel irrelevant or because I plainly forgot someone may not already know them about me.