This is an unused YouTube video script. It would have been a part of my vlog series. I hope it can help someone out there, or at least be entertaining. This one was exploring how I have used story writing as a type of therapy.

I have a journal where I have written a synopsis for no less than… 200 stories.

Most of these are simple ideas; a sort of general story outline.

But some of them are way more

For many of these stories, I have a general synopsis for the plot

But then

I have also come up with names and bios for the main characters

Back stories for characters and events that led up to the current setting

Detailed explanations of places, vehicles, and specific plot points

And even a detailed explanation of how different scenes might play out

It gets very detailed sometimes, but you might know that if you’ve ever seen this video

*thumbnail of “My Mind (is a terrible thing to waste)” video*

The reason for such a detailed explanation of plots, characters, settings, scenes, themes, and exposition?

My brain

The reason for a story in the first place?

My life

Sometimes, every so often, on more than one occasion an event that happens in my day to day sparks something

That spark morphs into a character trait or incident

That incident has to include characters, with specific traits

Those characters need to interact

There has to be the bad guy and the good guy

There’s some sort of conflict

Our characters must grow into the heroes their world needs

And the bad guy falls due to their brazen ego

Or sometimes our heroes’ shear collective might.

But that whole story, every bit of it comes from one of two places:

Either it’s MY version of “current popular tv or movie franchise”

Or it’s an extension of something occurring in my own life.

Back in the 7th grade our English teacher had us write in a journal. I never knew what to write so I was 100% meta.

Literally, I wrote things such as

*reading from notebook with glasses on*

[something from early notebook about not knowing what to write]

*Looks up from notebook with eyes peering over the glasses*

But as time went on I began writing less *rolls eyes* comically and more narratively.

It wasn’t long before I was keeping a real journal, almost nightly – even after the 7th grade had come and gone.

And in no time at all I found the thing that would most help me express myself

Stories.

The first story I ever wrote down was about a boy on a basketball team. He was having a rough time of things until an older teen boy began helping him play better.

But this wasn’t just a story I came up with because there was some shy kid on my little brothers basketball team.

It also reflects my own desire to be someone important, who enters a person’s life right when they need someone and can help that person in a way no one else can.

To an extent

Now, writing this story hasn’t stopped me from being a kind, helpful, loving person.

It’s not like I’m taking something I wish to do or a type of person I wish to be

Writing it in some notebook *VO while writing in a notebook*

Capping the pen *VO while capping a pen*

And just going about my day.

But writing it down has helped me parse through some of the more difficult questions when dealing with all types of scenarios.

I can imagine fights and arguments

I can imagine great losses

I can picture, in my head, large scale revolts or rebellions

I can ponder the consequences of any word, action, or decision

And while I don’t have all the knowledge nor wisdom in the world to be able to write the perfect outcome

I am able to deal with feelings and emotions in a rather safe place, playing out all the sides and entertaining many different outcomes.

And as I get older and deal with more of the real world I can alter stories that don’t hold up any longer.

But I’m not writing a novel

The stories are simply therapy

And if you ask me, it’s a pretty fun path towards some breakthroughs.

[end]

…

-Diggs out

P.S. – I’m certain we all turn to stories to deal with or escape the real world. But I think we need to encourage children to write stories in order to deal with their hardships in the real world.