Rest Stop

In the last year I was inspired to write a novel based on a friend's story.  Their own unique story is one that pierces my heart every time I think about it.  It's got a pretty typically base once I thought about it...boy meets girl while they are not ready for relationships...they fall in love...boy does stupid thing and girl vows to never talk to him again...years later they. 

I picked it up at the years later they part.  The problem is that with my friends there never was truly a "years later they" part.  In fact there is often a lot of regret on both parties that there isn't.  I made the mistake of telling my friend I was writing this story.  I normally share with this particular person about my current and future projects.  She also is one that proofs for me quite a bit.

So my characters were mapped out and the basic outlines were all done and I began writing in a fury.  The characters took the story over and I ran with it.  Then I hit this particular part of the story that hit so close to home that I couldn't push past.  I was stuck and have been stuck for months. 

I came to the realization that I have to let it go not the story because it deserves to be told, but my own hang up.  Here are two people in my life that I care about a lot and I want to tell their story or what should be their story to the world, but I want to do it in a way that honors them.  Truth be told I'm honoring them just be letting in inspire me.  This story though is not actually theirs due to the fact that I'm picking up where they should have a long time ago.  No word I write is ever going to change how they have ended up now.

Does this happen to anyone else?  Do you want to protect your inspiring people so much that it affects your story?