I've finished the first draft of my novel. It feels kind of surreal that I actually wrote an entire book. It's still a work in progress and not completely done, but I've written an entire draft and I'm very proud of myself for doing it. Without giving anything away, my story's premise is basically about a boy who is emotionally sensitive and a girl who has a disease that causes her not to feel pain. They face their own struggles and learn valuable lessons while navigating their lives and the world around them.
I researched Congenital Insensitivity to Pain(the condition my female main character has) and came across some heart-wrenching articles. When you think of pain, you try to do everything in your power to avoid it. But the thing that we often don't realise, is that pain is vital to survival. It can heal as much as it hurts. It's a part of life and it's sad to think that there are people who aren't able to experience it. As much as it sounds appealing to be free from pain, children who grow up without it, are in constant danger. As I was reading those stories, I felt a new appreciation for being able to feel pain.
My other main character is a highly sensitive male, so I read articles and watched videos on life as a male HSP. As an HSP myself, I know how the world can feel too hard to be in. Sometimes the struggles of being highly sensitive makes one feel as if it's more of a curse than a blessing. But there are so many positive things about being an HSP. It's truly a gift. As a female HSP, it's already challenging. But there's a stigma in society surrounding a man who shows his emotions and sensitivity. There's this preconceived notion about what a man should be. The correlation between masculinity and sensitivity is an intriguing concept and I wanted to explore that.
The contrast between the main characters is something I found interesting. But within their differences, they find similarities and they discover that they have more in common than they thought. The contrast between them is also part of what unites them. They play musical instruments as a way of coping with everything they go through.
On the internet, I heard about the terms 'plotter' and 'pantser.' A plotter plans and a pantser goes with the flow. I consider myself a pantser, but I've learned that I'm actually both. I like going with the flow, but I also like having some kind of guide that I can use in the writing process. I created an outline with sticky notes and it was a big help! That doesn't mean I never got stuck. My mind went blank numerous times. But the outline was nice to have because I knew what to write. I also don't see why writers need to label themselves as either a plotter or a pantser. Just do whatever works for you.
I've also written a short story that I'm going to publish soon. It's a story about family, independence, love and compassion and I'm so excited to share it!
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