One challenge I had was making a story that had elements of mystery, emotion, and the supernatural. I’ve never written a mysterious/suspenseful story before, so this was a challenge for me. I also had to make sure I could maintain the consistency in character development and plot progression while incorporating themes of belonging, loss, and acceptance. However, I overcame this by outlining, revising, and seeking feedback from Mr. Baker (creative writing teacher) to make sure everything flowed together smoothly!
Honestly, writing this story didn’t change the way I think too much. However, when creating the character Aspen, a ghost bound to her hometown for nearly a century, it slightly shifted my perspective on the concept of belonging, the nature of existence beyond Earth, and the meaning of being alive.
I think my story could probably resonate with readers on both a local and global scale by discussing universal themes of longing, closure, and belonging. Locally, readers could possibly connect with the sense of place and community and friendship that I describe in the small town, North Tide. Globally, the story’s exploration of mortality and the afterlife could also connect to people all over the world with different beliefs, as many cultures and people have different ideas of what an afterlife could truly look like, and what it means to die on this planet. Overall, I think the main impact I made with my story is based on how I was able to describe a sense of certain emotions, provoke thought, and spark discussions about the human experience.
