UnnervedCompany

UnnervedCompany

Member
Jun 21, 2024
49
When I was one of the worst periods of my life I was writing a story that I was extremely invested in and it helped me with the depression. I had barely developed it I plan to make it much much longer and I only wrote around 6000 words.

The story featured a lot of the troubles I have in my life it was kind of like a self insert into a new world. I really want to continue it since I have a lot of ideas about it.

The problem is that I find it cringe maybe awkward to write about the trauma and issues I have into a story were a character like me transports to a different universe and still has the burden of his past to deal with.

Now I don't know what to do with it any ideas? Do I continue it with my premise make a new story or do any of you have any other ideas to provide I would love to read them.
 
Tesha

Tesha

Life too shall pass
May 31, 2020
902
Can you write about the details of how you changed and your reactions / interactions around the trauma but don't actually elaborate on the trauma detail? This way you can leave the reader to conjure up their own imagery around what happened, or even allow them to superimpose their own life experiences. You could twist it with the reality of the experience of being inserted into a new world.

Having just reread what I've written, I suspect you won't have a clue what I'm trying to suggest.

I'm not a writer. Clearly.
 
daley

daley

Student
May 11, 2024
151
Consider the possibility that good writing comes from lived experience, and that many good writers used their experiences as basis for their stories. So you are in good company.

The feeling of cringe might be from writing yourself into the story. But consider that you can never actually write yourself into the story. You can only write a verbal representation which is not you. Maybe such a perspective can provide you some distance from the character you are writing to get over that feeling of "cringe". You can still allow this character to be informed by your personality, and the events of your life, without it actually being you.
 
UnnervedCompany

UnnervedCompany

Member
Jun 21, 2024
49
Can you write about the details of how you changed and your reactions / interactions around the trauma but don't actually elaborate on the trauma detail? This way you can leave the reader to conjure up their own imagery around what happened, or even allow them to superimpose their own life experiences. You could twist it with the reality of the experience of being inserted into a new world.

Having just reread what I've written, I suspect you won't have a clue what I'm trying to suggest.

I'm not a writer. Clearly.
No don't worry I understand 100% what your writing. Your saying to make it subtle not elaborate on my past and leave room for interpretation. I like the idea I'll continue seeing what other advice I can get.
 
Tesha

Tesha

Life too shall pass
May 31, 2020
902
No don't worry I understand 100% what your writing. Your saying to make it subtle not elaborate on my past and leave room for interpretation. I like the idea I'll continue seeing what other advice I can get.
Kind of. Make the trauma aspect subtle, but include detail and rawness of the impact it had on you.

Let us know when it gets published!
 
Apathy79

Apathy79

Arcanist
Oct 13, 2019
486
Someone used to publish what they wrote on here in little chunks for feedback. I think she's gone now but I used to love reading that. If the themes resonate with this group, I would recommend publishing snippets here. Maybe keep them all to your own little thread about the story and just keep updating as you go. You'll get much better feedback that way and it can be motivating to write knowing it might be shared quickly with many people.
 
  • Love
Reactions: Buh-bye!
B

Buh-bye!

jkfajsd
Jan 10, 2024
253
i don't have any advices for you, i am too braindead for writing or anything but good luck to you for your work bud
Can you write about the details of how you changed and your reactions / interactions around the trauma but don't actually elaborate on the trauma detail? This way you can leave the reader to conjure up their own imagery around what happened, or even allow them to superimpose their own life experiences. You could twist it with the reality of the experience of being inserted into a new world.

Having just reread what I've written, I suspect you won't have a clue what I'm trying to suggest.

I'm not a writer. Clearly.
that a very nice pfp and quote
 
derpyderpins

derpyderpins

Normie Life Mogs
Sep 19, 2023
1,781
I like what @daley said. I'll also add a bit.

I can understand finding your past struggles cringe, and I'm sure a lot of people can. It seems like it's fiction but based on your experience, right?

Don't view you, the main character, as you now. The you you're writing about is a past version of you - completely different. You, as you are now, is that person at a further point in the story, after having some development.

We relate to flawed protagonists, and we like arcs and growth, so if you see flaws in your past self I'd say address them without obscuring them. eg., "[Protagonist] believed 'X', which may have been foolish, but in their world - which was quite narrow - it appeared to be the only explanation."
 
  • Like
Reactions: daley

Similar threads

fade_to_black_71
Replies
1
Views
93
Suicide Discussion
bandoscii
bandoscii
Anhaedra
Replies
10
Views
350
Recovery
Anhaedra
Anhaedra
NoThoughtTooMany
Replies
23
Views
482
Suicide Discussion
nancyboy
nancyboy
M
Replies
4
Views
184
Suicide Discussion
dull emerald
D