Tales of Tyler-Arther

A stress manifesto: why I started this book & where it might be going

So, as you are all probably aware, I haven't posted anything in ages. For that I apologize. I really enjoy writing this story, and it is by no means discontinued. I just have been swamped with this summer chemistry class I'm taking for the sake of a free period this coming school year. The free period will give me time to do my homework during school hours, and in turn provide me with the time to do my hobbies and stuff outside of school hours.
But all of that aside, I've been considering rewriting this story. Not discontinuing it! Or completely changing the line of events. Just, *le sigh*, more structured. As in, actually having a plan for where I want this to go when I write the story. I wrote the first three chapters at 3:00am on a long weekend in I don't even know what year. Because I was trying to fall asleep and decided to think up a bedtime story to tell myself in order to keep the lights off. That's how Tyler/Arther came to be. Originally, there were no other characters. No Dennise or Matt.
I just had this half baked idea of a 'reverse fairy-tale'. I was tired of all the stigmas and stereotypes that the main fairy-tales of today's media protray. I mean, just look at older Disney movies! The song, "What Makes a Red Man Red" from Peter-Pan? How about the fact that the crow in Dumbo is named Jim, embodies the 'classic' stereotypes of a black person, and is voiced by a white man? The original words in the opening song of Aladin where they mention cutting off your ear. I could go on for ages.
But most of all, just the lack of media representation in general. How there's this double standard of if a cis-het woman wears a suit, cuts her hair really short, and does a stereotypical 'man thing' she's praised for breaking gender norms and barriers. But if a cis-het man wants to try nail polish, or likes princesses and baking and dance, who wants long hair and to maybe wear a dress or skirt unironically. Then everyone just seems to shun and say that he must be gay or trans or something. Honestly, what's the difference between a cis-het woman wearing a suit with short hair, and a cis-het man wearing a dress and make-up? There isn't one!
So after I wrote the initial drafts of the first three chapters of this story, I didn't think I would take it any further. I thought that I would just get it out of my system, go to sleep, wake up the next morning, and laugh at myself for my bad 3:00am ideas. But when I read what I had wrote later that morning, I still loved it. I still felt proud of it. So I posted it. And then I got this little explosion of support from all sorts of people, coming in waves, for a story I never thought anyone would ever read.
Then I decided to write more. I thought about who else needs good representation. I created Dennise for the interracial, multi-ethinic people out there. For the kids of poly couples who may feel awkward and out of place as they got older, in contrast to when they were nearly oblivious to the otherness of it all when they were younger. I created Matt because trans kids know who they are, and they are so strong and deal with so much shit. And the rest of the world needs to know that. I created John for all of the queer kids out there in less then safe circumstances, who quietly find little ways to be themselves, while managing to stay safe. Kyle is for all of the slightly baffled allies, who are trying their best to understand everything, knowing that they probably never will. But ready and willing to maim people first and ask questions later for the sake and comfort of their friends. The ones who are there, not in spite of everything, but because they truely care.
I want this book to be a comfort. To be a space where everyone can feel represented and safe, and free to ask the questions they might be scared to ask elsewhere. Somewhere to turn to when feeling down and close to tears, when feeling alone. I want this book to be what I needed when I was at my worst. I've realised that I've been writing this book as a way to cope and recover from some light(ish) trauma I went through when I was in elementary school. I was writing what could've been. A story that could've helped, and given past me a light of hope.
My big trauma happened in third grade (when I was 8 for most of the year). The resulting effects that it had on me leached into fourth and a bit of early fifth grade. Still effects me now. I'm not going to unload what happend onto all of you, that's what my therapist is for [*cue laughter*]. But about four weeks after relising that writing this story was helping me to heal my past wounds in the way that it was, I had worked through it. All my ideas for the story now take place in middle school, probably because that's the next segment of my life I need to work through. But I need to finish this book first.
I'm likely going to scrap the characters Amanda and May, as they are based on two of my friends from before the 'events'. I'm still friends with the two of them, but they are no longer friends with each other, and it feels weird and unhealthy to write their alter egos as friends when they aren't anymore. I will be keeping the Cohen twins because even though they are based on one of my friends, they are fun to write and I don't feel like I'm crossing any boundries when I write them. (For clarities sake: Mia is based off of my first impression of my friend, and Sylvia is based on a generalization of how I know her to be now). I want to finish the story with Tyler-Arther getting answers to most of his questions at the birthday party. But I've literally forgotten how to play Go Fish, and my ideas for how these answers will come up organically at the party aren't right.
So, I'm going to be doing a bit of light editing on my past chapters. And hopefully be able to conclude this segment of "The Tales of Tyler-Arther" before a third of the way through 2022. You're all amazing. I love each and everyone of you who reads this story and puts up with my extremely slow updates. You're comments give me life, encouragement, and that precious seratonine. Even if you're comments aren't talking to me, I enjoy reading them. I want to know how y'all process and interpret the story. You're thoughts and theories as you read. It helps me keep going.
    My thanks, appreciation, and love to my first ever reader Bakuhoe_squad and my most avid commenter Koala-Llama . The two of you are amazing. I likely would have abandoned the story altogether if it weren't for that first read. And the flood of comments that made me laugh and smile and encouraged me to keep writing. You both let me bother you with my indecisive mess of consciousness over DMs. Y'all are awesome, and if it were possible (and not have the likelyhood of being terribly awkward) I would love to meet and talk to you both irl.
    Anyways, this is the longest thing you have ever read on here. And will most definitely uphold that title on my account until the end of time. I've blathered on long enough, peace and love and all that junk.             Peace!✌️

P.s: Spice (not real name. You know who you are), if you're reading this, I'm impressed you haven't trashed your account by now. Also, you already know what 'events' I am refering to and I trust you not to freak out and call me because of this chapter. I'm f i n e. Good even. Don't worry about me flashing back, cause I'm not. I'm just explaining why I've seemingly disappeared off the face of the universe.

Bye for real this time~