Secrets You Never Thought Of
Nothing puts you on alert like being aware of insidious undercurrents laying just under the surface of what you can see… For fiction writers, secrecy and loss of trust is a goldmine of plot twists, character weaknesses and gripping reading.
Every Sunday, I visit the Post Secret web site. Post Secret is clinical proof that truth is stranger than fiction. For me, many secrets illustrate viewpoints far outside my experience and comprehension! Post Secret is the place where people can send in their innermost thoughts and secrets to relieve the pressures of guilt and turmoil. The page is updated weekly and some secrets are not what you’d expect… For example:
The following are from their web page dated the week starting May 6th 2012.
The value of Post Secret is the post card senders get to be their real selves. The site has prevented suicides; generated discussion and awareness of taboo topics; and created a series of books which people locate in libraries, then place their secrets in the pages for others to find. It’s a safety outlet and a way to help others. At one stage there was an app, which sadly was taken off the market as bullies and trolls misused it.
Not all secrets are shockers. Some are things which you just have to say to someone.
So if you are looking for out-of-the-box ideas for your characters, I recommend the site http://www.postsecret.com But please, consider it only for for respectful viewing. Some of these secrets are probably posted to shock, but many are shared by people who are hurting badly. Remember that we don’t know the full story.
Below is an interview with founder, Frank Warren, on TED talks.
This article is Copyright Cate Russell-Cole 2012. It may only be reproduced, with my permission, for non commercial purposes only. My name and Copyright must remain intact. For permission, please email me at: cate@virtual-desk.com.au
Filed under: Creativity, Fiction and Characterisation, Food For Thought, Indie Publishing, Resources, Writing Tagged: autobiography, characterisation, communication, creativity, depression, failure, fiction, growth, inspiration, life story, passion, Post Secret, postcard, resource, secret, stress, writer, writing
