Dear best friend

Dear best friend,

Trust me, I know how this feels. When I was working on a short story for school about a character named Jack, he was mysterious to me. Revealing slowly his dark family trauma, it was difficult and I remember feeling like it was hard to relay... Much like John’s even more terrible past with her mother, but it truly is revealed for a reason.

These things can be incredibly hard to get out. The character needs to say it. Needs someone to hear it.

Letting them have that platform, soap box to stand on, so to speak, will give you the room to also finish the story the way you need to after.

The darkness inside of the character does not have to define them. It does not have to engulf them and carry them to a hellish abyss. It's like a strange halo hanging in the bright summer sky. It is a weird thing to see... But it's there for a reason. Fighting it and ignoring it won't make it go away.

It can help them on their journey to salvation. To love. To hope.

Sometimes, to real atonement with God. Like my John.

I know that you know what's best for your plot and characters. If you need to tone down the darkness, do so, and keep the important parts.

I believe in you, my dear.

Keep me updated!! I can't wait to read this story. I'm very excited to see it!

Love,

Melissa