How can we use writing in the development of a more true self identity?
It's an age old tradition, self fashioning, to create a persona for the public in one form or another. Van Gogh did this through his letters which he wrote for the intention of release after his death. People do it now on social media, they become highly skilled at this practice and develop a following based on it. Celebrities do it also, but then later find that this also creates unhealthy constraints for them as real people.
However, many authors seek to utilise writing as a way to look past the notion of persona. To indulge in some form of honest, 'real' writing; the abandonment of self fashioning.. in order to either discover their true self. To live more honestly through writing.
It can be a very confrontational thing. to look inward and disregard your ego. Many people simply don't do it. Not without therapy anyway.
Others use writing as a way to evade identity or 'face' in regards to the constructions which others may be pushing on to them. They write in order to assert their 'true' self. Cush also argues this point about language, and language creativity. But this is a very broad issue which can be applied to more than just literature or biographies. For example, the ways in which people utilise explicit language when writing statements in order to prevent misconstruement by others for legal reasons.
It may also be the case that this type of honesty can be the motivation for many of us who are seeking to learn other languages. That is, as we seek to broaden our repertoire, we also seek to find ways to express the existence within us (be it our personality or a feeling, a moment, or anything else) more honestly and accurately than the words of our mother tongue allows.