non fiction - How do I avoid legal repercussions for writing a story based on events in my life?

How do I avoid legal repercussions for writing a story based on events in my life?

Mainly, I have experienced events that I would like to share with the world. These events are somewhat disturbing and would expose the truly spiteful side of an individual who has impacted my life in ways that have only made me stronger. I do not plan to focus on that individual, rather on the way my life was altered (and a big portion due to this individual's actions). This story would cover the struggle faced by women (by other women), culture and religion in the workforce.

Now that I have moved on, I continually recount my experience verbally and feel as though it would do better to spread the message and make an impact through the use of the written word.

How can I accomplish this?

[Edit: The legal repercussions I refer to include those from the individual, perhaps even the company that I worked for even though they are in no way at fault (except for having such an individual on their payroll).]

Answer

Before I give some suggestions, the best advice I can give you is speak to a lawyer directly about your personal situation. Unless there is one on the forum, I really wouldn't take any other advice as gospel, including what I'm going to say below. Also, legal issues will differ from country to country, so what's true in the US may not hold true in the UK (for example, if a book is published in the US and the UK, many authors and publishers are sued in the UK because of very favourable libel laws).

There is no substitute for good legal advice, so if you're serious about writing your work as a piece of non-fiction, pay for it. You won't regret it.

Having said all that, if you're afraid of repercussions from the individuals you mention in your book, I imagine the usual strategy is to change names, places, and appearances, at least enough so that they cannot easily be associated with the individuals in question. Also consider writing under a pseudonym. Girl With A One Track Mind was written with both of these strategies I believe. But, be warned, it can backfire when/if your name is leaked. The author of that book lost her career, and it deeply affected her personal life.