Blog Post #3 – Story Project

Hello everyone! Today I did some research for my short story.

For the exposition, I wanted to include how snow is formed. Snow is going to be a big motif for secrets in my story, and it has a lot to do with the death of the main character and how she comes back to life in the form of a ghost! Snow is formed high in the clouds, stemming from water vapour (1). When the temperature and the clouds are cold enough, the water vapor crystallizes around bits of dust inside the cloud. The water vapour freezes into crystals of ice, and when they are heavy enough, they fall freely to the ground. (2).

My story is also going to be set in a small town. I’ve never written about a small town before, so I checked out a few writing blogs to find some tips! I learned that it’s helpful to highlight the friendliness and hostility among residents, the cliquey nature of small communities, and the deep-rooted backstory that shapes small town identities (3). Small towns also serve as hubs for gossip and people may hold grudges for a very long time, but they also offer strong support networks in times of need (3). These tips were perfect for my story, and I’m very excited to incorporate them into my own fictional town!

Lastly, for the rising action and point of attack in my story, my main character Aspen starts to become super withdrawn from her best friend Tara, and she keeps hiding secrets from her. Tara tries to support Aspen and confront her about her odd behaviour, but Aspen is hard to get answers from. For this part of the story, I researched confrontation. I learned that in order to have a constructive conversation with a friend about their behavior, you should stay calm despite the emotions involved, focus on the specific issue at hand, use “I” statements to express feelings rather than blaming, and listen actively to their perspective (4). I also learned that there are many things you shouldn’t do. For example, reacting impulsively to a friend’s upsetting behaviour isn’t productive. You should take time to process your feelings before responding. You should also keep the issue between you and your friend, and avoid involving others. Finally, make sure your discussion is approached in a way where you seek understanding and resolution, not to “win” or assign blame (4). These tips were very useful for how I will be writing Tara’s character!

Thanks for reading (:

References:

1. “How Does Snow Form?” Met Office, https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/types-of-weather/snow/how-does-snow-form. Accessed 1 May 2024.
2. “Science of Snow.” National Snow and Ice Data Center, https://nsidc.org/learn/parts-cryosphere/snow/science-snow. Accessed 1 May 2024.
3. Craig, Elizabeth Spann. “Writing the Small Town Setting.” Elizabeth Spann Craig, 16 Nov. 2018, https://elizabethspanncraig.com/writing-tips-2/writing-the-small-town-setting/.
4. “The Dos and Don’ts of Friend Drama.” DoSomething.Org, https://www.dosomething.org/us/articles/the-dos-and-donts-of-friend-drama. Accessed 1 May 2024.