<sod>Swift uses her real-life experiences as an inspiration in her work.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304510704575562401576663866|title=Taylor Swift's Solo Act|last=Farley|first=Christopher John|date=October 22, 2010|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|accessdate=May 24, 2012}}</ref> In her songs, Swift often addresses the "anonymous crushes of her high school years" and celebrities.<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/arts/music/24swift.html?pagewanted=all|title=Taylor Swift Is Angry, Darn It|last=Caramanica|first=Jon|date=October 20, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=July 2, 2012}}</ref> In her music Swift frequently mentions ex-boyfriends derogatively,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/john-mayer-taylor-swifts-dear-john-song-humiliated-me-20120606|title=John Mayer: Taylor Swift's 'Dear John' Song 'Humiliated Me'|date=June 6, 2012|work=Rolling Stone|accessdate=June 24, 2012}}</ref> an aspect of her songwriting downplayed by ''The Village Voice'': "Being told What Songs Mean is like having a really pushy professor. And it imperils a true appreciation of Swift's talent, which is not confessional, but dramatic."<ref name="iceberg">{{cite web|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/music/the-iceberg-songs-of-taylor-swift-6429071|title=The Iceberg Songs of Taylor Swift|last=Weber|first=Theon|date=November 3, 2010|work=The Village Voice|accessdate=July 30, 2012}}</ref> However, ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' believes the media scrutiny over her decision to "mine her personal life for music … is sexist, inasmuch as it's not asked of her male peers".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/thecut/2012/11/stop-asking-taylor-swift-to-apologize.html|title=Stop Asking Taylor Swift to Apologize for Writing Songs About Ex-Boyfriends – The Cut|date=November 16, 2012|work=New York|accessdate=February 25, 2013}}</ref> The singer herself has said that not all her songs are factual and that they are sometimes based on observations.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postrock/2008/02/her_song_talking_taylor_swift_1.html|title=Her Song: Talking Taylor Swift – Post Rock|work=[[The Washington Post]]|accessdate=July 30, 2012}}</ref> Aside from her liner note clues, Swift tries not to talk about song subjects specifically "because these are real people. You try to give insight as to where you were coming from as a writer without completely throwing somebody under the bus".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/magazine/the-many-insecurities-of-taylor-swift.html|title=The Many Insecurities of Taylor Swift|last=Dominus|first=Susan|date=November 16, 2012|work=The New York Times}}</ref><eod>
<sod>Swift uses her life experiences as an inspiration in her work.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304510704575562401576663866|title=Taylor Swift's Solo Act|last=Farley|first=Christopher John|date=October 22, 2010|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|accessdate=May 24, 2012}}</ref> In her songs, Swift often addresses the "anonymous crushes of her high school years" and celebrities.<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/arts/music/24swift.html?pagewanted=all|title=Taylor Swift Is Angry, Darn It|last=Caramanica|first=Jon|date=October 20, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=July 2, 2012}}</ref> In her music Swift frequently mentions ex-boyfriends derogatively,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/john-mayer-taylor-swifts-dear-john-song-humiliated-me-20120606|title=John Mayer: Taylor Swift's 'Dear John' Song 'Humiliated Me'|date=June 6, 2012|work=Rolling Stone|accessdate=June 24, 2012}}</ref> an aspect of her songwriting downplayed by ''The Village Voice'': "Being told What Songs Mean is like having a really pushy professor. And it imperils a true appreciation of Swift's talent, which is not confessional, but dramatic."<ref name="iceberg">{{cite web|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/music/the-iceberg-songs-of-taylor-swift-6429071|title=The Iceberg Songs of Taylor Swift|last=Weber|first=Theon|date=November 3, 2010|work=The Village Voice|accessdate=July 30, 2012}}</ref> However, ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' believes the media scrutiny over her decision to "mine her personal life for music … is sexist, inasmuch as it's not asked of her male peers".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/thecut/2012/11/stop-asking-taylor-swift-to-apologize.html|title=Stop Asking Taylor Swift to Apologize for Writing Songs About Ex-Boyfriends – The Cut|date=November 16, 2012|work=New York|accessdate=February 25, 2013}}</ref> The singer herself has said that not all her songs are factual and that they are sometimes based on observations.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postrock/2008/02/her_song_talking_taylor_swift_1.html|title=Her Song: Talking Taylor Swift – Post Rock|work=[[The Washington Post]]|accessdate=July 30, 2012}}</ref> Aside from her liner note clues, Swift tries not to talk about song subjects specifically "because these are real people. You try to give insight as to where you were coming from as a writer without completely throwing somebody under the bus".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/magazine/the-many-insecurities-of-taylor-swift.html|title=The Many Insecurities of Taylor Swift|last=Dominus|first=Susan|date=November 16, 2012|work=The New York Times}}</ref><eod>