Home Page › Forums › Fiction Writing › General Writing Discussions › Characters with cancer?
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July 2, 2023 at 3:39 pm #149216
Hey guys! So I think I mentioned this idea to a few people when I first joined, but it’s kind of been on the back burner for a while. Lately though I’ve been thinking about trying it, but it would probably be the deepest/hardest thing I’ve attempted xD which sort of scares me, and sort of inspires me. It would be some sort of novella? Anyway here’s the summary:
The main character has had cancer since she was nine years old, and she’s fifteen now. They knew it was getting worse and she’s known for a long time that her life would be shorter than most people’s. The story starts just after she’s found out she only has a few months to live.
Character arc – in the beginning, the character wrestles with her feelings and God. Depressed. She starts to change over the course of the story and learns to trust God more, and that He knows what’s best.
I’m not set on this, but so far I was thinking the ending would be bittersweet. She doesn’t fear death anymore but has accepted it, and helps her family come to terms with that as well (if that makes sense). I don’t know if she would actually die at the end of it, or if it would just hint at it. Maybe an epilogue with her family?
I don’t know, so anyway, I’m not set on cancer, it would just have to be some kind of disease. But I know whatever it is, I would have to be pretty sensitive, and … I’m not really sure how to address it in a way like that, if that makes sense.
So yeah, I would love to hear yall’s thoughts!! If anyone has advice or knows of any books like this, it would be really appreciated!!
Tags! @esther-c, @freedomwriter76, @euodia-vision, @kyronthearcanin, @smiley, @godlyfantasy12, @whalekeeper, @loopylin, @fab, @acancello, @lightoverdarkness6, highscribeofaetherium, @mineralizedwritings, @koshka, @thearcaneaxiom, @AwsumFaith, @anyone-else-sorry!!
"Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." Eccl. 12:12
July 2, 2023 at 3:42 pm #149217AHHH I love the idea so much!! It’s so cute and sad, please write this down it sounds so interesting!! 🔥🔥
But do you remember?
August, honey, you were mineJuly 2, 2023 at 3:49 pm #149218Awwwww I love the idea
Grief has kind of made its way into all of my books, and truthfully it’s been a little overwhelming. But also it’s made me really realize what death is, but also how we should trust in God
Cancer can be really terrifying, but it also makes people realize what it means to be alive, and how short life is
maybe she’s already come to terms with it, and instead her story is about others, maybe she’s a ray of sunshine to others around her, and her death makes people realize what it means to really be living
Do me a favor…. Tell Cress I meant it
-ThorneJuly 2, 2023 at 3:52 pm #149219Aw thank you guys so much!!!! ♥️
Smiley – yep, that’s pretty much what I was thinking!! Though it’d be more of a transition, I guess, from her being disappointed and depressed, angry at God, maybe hoping they’re wrong, to acceptance and trust in Him. Yes, definitely!! ☺️
"Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." Eccl. 12:12
July 2, 2023 at 3:57 pm #149220It’s a really good idea! And you’re welcome, I would have never thought of that or be able to write it in a way it’d sound good haha, So good luck and praying it works out for you!
But do you remember?
August, honey, you were mineJuly 2, 2023 at 4:35 pm #149222Thanks so much!! ☺️ That means a lot to me, and of course I think you’d be able to write it too! Honestly I’m not really sure how I’m going to do it either 😂
"Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." Eccl. 12:12
July 2, 2023 at 4:49 pm #149223Ofc girly! ✨
But do you remember?
August, honey, you were mineJuly 2, 2023 at 4:52 pm #149224The first step make a Pinterest board
the second step come up with a line that makes tears, like in WandaVision -to grow old in-V *me cries* something that the character writes or says, and then you realize it didn’t actually come through like Natasha’s line “See you in a minute”
Then you make boards
and then finally you actually sit down and write it
Do me a favor…. Tell Cress I meant it
-ThorneJuly 2, 2023 at 5:16 pm #149226Oh awesome! Thanks ☺️ I’ll definitely have to try making a board for this one. What kind of board do you start with?? And I haven’t watched wandavision, so that step kind of confused me 😅
"Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." Eccl. 12:12
July 2, 2023 at 5:28 pm #149228So basically Wanda and Vision bought a plot of land to later build a house on, but then Vision died and in WandaVision, Wanda goes to the land, and looks on the map to see that Vision had drawn a heart around the plot, and wrote the words, To grow old in-V, Which is really sad because Vision died, and his life was short-lived
I haven’t even seen WandaVision either I just read about it XD
And I usually make a Pinterest board and then use the photos from that to make aesthetic boards on Canva
Do me a favor…. Tell Cress I meant it
-ThorneJuly 2, 2023 at 5:42 pm #149230Ohhhhh, gotcha! Aww, that’s sad 😭 Poor Wanda.
Oh thanks! ☺️
"Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." Eccl. 12:12
July 2, 2023 at 11:09 pm #149269This sounds so interesting! I love characters with bittersweet endings tbh, and this all seems so sweet.
I totally get what you mean by it being a sensitive topic. I grew up on the verge of chronic illness, still going to school but not being quite a normal kid. You might need to talk to somebody who has bene treated for something like cancer for a extended period of time, because it might be hard to imagine what that’s like. Also something that I have noticed in my experience is that the whole thing is viewed very differently by parents, relatives, and the kid. I new I had issues, but I never would have called myself ill (even if I was) and would get annoyed at people who did. I was just enjoying life, rarely cried (If it was any worse I would have though) over it if I did, got used to some pain and only was really angry about it if I got a migraine. My mom was distraught at some points, to the point she randomly interrupted another groups small group (at church) crying and asking for prayer. They might have thought she was weird. At the time, I was nowhere near feeling that way. I still loved many parts of life and only cared too much if it interrupted me playing with my friends. So yeah, she was very sad and felt terrible for me, I was just trying to get whatever I could out of life. I think looking back it might have been harder for her than me, just affected us in different ways.
Something I think is important to include, just for realism, if you are comfortable portraying this, is that being underweight can bring on image issues (I’d imagine chemo causes weight loss.?) It’s one of the hardest things about it for me, when you look sick or have been, you don’t always look like the other girls, it’s almost harder than physical stuff.
Anyways, that was a rant. If you have question I might be able to answer some, but I’ve never been through anything like your character has.
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
July 3, 2023 at 10:04 am #149284Aw, I’m so sorry girl!! I hope you’re doing better now, though. That would be so hard.
Thanks, that helps a lot!! This is kind of exactly what I needed, because I definitely didn’t want to write something unrealistic or insensitive, but it’s kind of hard to know 😅.
I really appreciate you sharing all that! I will definitely come to you if I have more questions about this sort of thing. I think a major part of the story is going to be her feelings and conflicting thoughts, and then her character arc later, but I’m not exactly sure how to write it in a way that seems natural, if that makes sense.
Anyway, thanks again all you guys!! Your support means a lot to me ☺️
"Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." Eccl. 12:12
July 3, 2023 at 11:49 am #149305Thanks, it is kinda hard but God really helped us through it.
I do think that might be hard to make natural, but if you ever have questions about it, feel free to ask!
Yw! Glad to be of help!
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
July 3, 2023 at 11:51 am #149306That’s awesome girl!! ♥️♥️
Yep, I know right 😅 Yeah, thanks again!! ☺️
"Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." Eccl. 12:12
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