Truth in Disguise

Strategies for concealing identities in nonfiction.

- BY AMANDA ANN GREGORY

ONNONFICTION

The art and craft of writing nonfiction.

We write in an era of cancel culture and libel lawsuits. Merely changing the names of real people is no longer sufficient to protect them or ourselves. When I wrote my nonfiction book, You Don't Need to Forgive: Trauma Recovery on Your Own Terms, I had to disguise the identities of 30 therapy clients and family members. The stakes were high: One mistake could have ended my career as a psychotherapist and damaged my family relationships. Still, I refused to sacrifice the authenticity of my story. Instead, I used intentional and strategic methods of concealment. You can use similar tactics to protect others and yourself while preserving the truth.

WHY DISGUISE?

First, you must clarify why you're concealing identities in your story. Your reasons will determine the disguising methods you choose. A writer trying to avoid a lawsuit may take a different approach than one who promised a person anonymity.

Here are some common reasons nonfiction writers utilize concealment:

PROTECTING YOURSELF: Writers deserve to feel safe when sharing their work. Establishing and maintaining your safety is a top priority, as you're less likely to write and publish when you feel physically, emotionally, or financially unsafe. Concealing identities can protect you from those who may cause you harm. A person might sue you for libel, claiming your words were false and damaged their reputation. Even without a lawsuit, revealing someone's identity could result in the loss of a job, a relationship, or finances. There is no shame in taking steps to protect yourself and to promote your feelings of safety.