Maybe I am The Scarlet Witch… Maybe I’m Not.

“Maybe I am The Scarlet Witch.

Unaware that I’ve created a false reality, but not false enough to mean that it doesn’t exist - that the people inside aren’t real.

Does that make me schizophrenic?

I used to think that I was screaming death in his face and scaring him away. Like I was some fierce being that couldn't be defeated. Like I had actual powers or something. I used to think that if she died, I would release a silent rage, a silent pain, that destroyed everything.

A silent pain heard and felt and seen and touched and breathed.”

How did I write this intro?

I used trending topics of the time.
I used my own experiences.
I used my own emotions.

The story, although written as prose poetry, or experimental autobiography (which has very little rules), is a fictional story.

That doesn’t mean that it’s a lie.
Or that it’s a falsehood.

It’s not a story written to lead people on.
It’s also not a story meant to hoodwink or trick someone.
It’s not a story selling anything.

But you know what? People did buy in.
It was rated as a top story in July 2022 on Vocal.

How did I claim Top Story?
By accident.
No, seriously.

I wrote from my heart, I used extremely descriptive and emotional imagery, I didn’t care if my words were too sad, or too angry, or too much for my audience.
I just wrote.
And I kept writing until I cried all over my laptop.

My biggest belief in my storytelling:
If you, the author, can’t stop crying while you write the story, you’re doing something right.

Emotions are the biggest connectors that we have to one another.
And that includes our audience and clients!

My top 3 top of mind storytelling tips that you can use to connect with your audience and to evoke that emotional reaction are:

(Everyone says: “know your audience” is key, I’m ignoring this, it’s said too much, and sometimes, when you ignore the audience, and write the words locked inside, you can create some really powerful stories.)

1. Create Relatable Characters

My relatable character: Me.

And your relatable character? You.
You know you better than anyone.
You know what moves you.

By creating a character that embodies you, and in turn, your audience, you will be able to connect your audience with the heart of any story - through yourself.

2. Build Emotional Investments

When your audience cares about the story, they’re invested.
They want to know what’s going to happen next.
They want to purchase that one thing that solves the problem.

Creating anticipation and emotional investment can be achieved through conflicts, tension, and resolutions.
All three of these things keep the audience engaged and wanting to know more.
Therefore, they keep reading.

3. Show, Don't Tell

Letting emotions unfold through actions and dialogue make the story more immersive.

Which makes the story more real.
Which ties into creating an emotional investment.
Which ties into the customer journey.
Which we’ll get into in another episode…

Stay tuned!

To read my full story about The Scarlet Witch, check out my Vocal Media profile:

https://vocal.media/poets/maybe-i-am-the-scarlet-witch

To subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter, Write on Time, where this article was originally published, click the link below!
https://bit.ly/3vl6zWo

Letters to Emerson

Originally published on 8/4/2022

Grief Journaling - Letters to Emerson

Number 2.

Or should I say 2 trillion. 2 Googles. 2 infinite numbers that don’t yet exist. 

I write letters to you in my mind all the time.
“Did you see that sunset?”
“I wish you could feel the way the air changes before rain.”
“I wanted to show you the fireflies.”
“I miss your smile. The way you’d light up when I walked into the room; like I was the only reason you needed to stay.”

You loved me in a way I will never understand. More than anyone on this earth has ever loved me. You taught me how to fight harder than I had ever fought before.
Because before, I was just fighting for me. And no matter what happened to me, I knew I’d survive.

This time, I fought for more than just myself.

I fought for you.
I fought for us.
I fought for our family.

I still feel like I failed.

How could I not?
You’re not here.
That was the goal, right?
That was the finish line, the winning, the ultimate desire of my heart.
My arms are still empty.
Sometimes, they ache and burn, a restless longing for the weight of you.

I know that I will carry this feeling with me forever.

“Losing a child is like losing a limb.”

I read that once and I’ll never forget it again.

I’ve heard of phantom limb syndrome and I think I have that in my heart, in my head. I used to tell people that I could feel our souls combined, just like I could feel my physical arms and legs.

I don’t think they understand. I can feel the loss of you like I feel the loss of our future.

Not only did we lose you, we lost the entire life that you gave us. The life we should have had with you. And I can’t help but see the warmth and joy and peace in that life. Yes, it would have had it’s hardships, you would have had a long life filled with medical needs. But it looks so much better than the empty arms I stare down at now.

This body carried a baby and now has nothing to show for it.
I know people look at me and see a girl. It’s not the first thought in their minds that I’m a mom.

I’m a mom too.

And I’ve lost the greatest fight I have ever known.
I long for that fight, although I don’t long for the suffering you endured. The procedures and IVs. The diagnoses and the constant barrage of ‘she won’t survive’, ‘take her home and let her die’, ‘it will take a miracle for her to overcome this.’

I go into your room sometimes and sit on the floor with your things in my arms and I just cry.
The ugly crying that no one else is supposed to see, but your dad always finds me there. I wonder if he can feel me the way I used to feel you now.

I miss you so much.

I try to think about the good - your smiles, your almost-there-laughs, your tiny voice, your hands, how strong you were.

Sometimes I can’t see past the pain. And I worry that I caused you more pain by asking you to stay.
I hope you know how much I love you.

I’m staring at your star-filled eyes and sweet, sweet smile today.

We got a kitten named Jasper. He’s all black with one white patch on his belly.

He keeps touching your things.

Playing with your necklace that I wear every day, trying to steal the little bear keychain that says ‘Emmi’ that’s always hooked to my purse.

He likes your stuff.
I think that means he likes you too.