From the start of the module, I knew that I wanted to write my fantasy-fiction novel. One that I have to pour my soul into. I aspire to publish Realms of Magic one day. The assignment brief was tailored with three opening chapters, a synopsis and a letter to a publisher. Realms of Magic was the perfect fit, as I have been working on it for many years. This assignment would give me a push to refine the novel and help me improve my work ready for publishing.
I know my characters and their stories nearly as much as I know myself. It has brought me immense joy and is an escape for me even in the darkest of moments. It would be impossible for me not to use Realms of Magic for this assessment. I prefer to write fiction, it’s a very flexible style to write in. Therefore, I was hesitant to write non-fiction because there are many rules and restrictions. The ethical implications of non-fiction intimidated me.
At the same time, I wanted to get a taste of writing non-fiction. A side project of mine has always been to write a series of autobiographical adventures based on my own life.
Due to my disability, Cerebral Palsy, I have had many experiences and been in scenarios you could not imagine. When I tell people these stories they always say, “You need to write this down!” So that’s what I have started to do. I have used the activities set in class to start building these different stories which will contribute to my overall autobiography.
An example of such a piece is here…
Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns and I have been on my fair share of rollercoasters. Doctors would say I would never be able to go into mainstream education…Unfortunately, I started to believe these assumptions and started to live my life in a shell, scared to talk to anyone or push myself out of my comfort zone. This was until I was contacted by PHAB camps. They would take a group of disabled and non-disabled group of people and do different activities, swimming, archery, rock climbing. My favourite most meaningful activity was abseiling. I was lifted free of my wheelchair and swung around the edge of the cliff. Of course, I was held by a harness with my helmet on, but I was free of my wheelchair and restraints and had to rely solely on myself to propel down the cliff. This was when I realised that my wheelchair wasn’t my restraint: it was my mind that was the restraint.
This piece has been so well received and I was truly touched by the response I got. I was asked to continue writing this in more detail and describe what it felt like using all my senses.
Sophie Creates 