Salvation 2035

Afterword

     August 4, 2021

    First of all, I want to thank my amazing friend and editor, Lauren, for helping and supporting me the entire way. I couldn't have done this without you!

     So, here we are at the end of Salvation after 3 years. Wow... 3 years! I can still remember when I first started thinking about the story. Actually, the characters of Salvation were initially just going to be a part of a side story of another one I was making. Needless to say, they eclipsed that one and took on a life of their own. I was in grade 10 at that time, so I was 15 when I first started thinking about Salvation, but it wasn't until I was 16 did I really try and write it out. I guess I've written myself a novel, haven't I? 

     In the Google Doc that I wrote the draft, there are 610 pages. Now I know there are plenty of young writers here on Wattpad, but I think it's kinda impressive, don't you think? I mean, I'm far from being a pro, but I'm happy with Salvation. Before Salvation, I was writing a fantasy story that has about 400 pages that will probably never see the light of day, given that the characters are a bit similar to the ones in Salvation. Anyways, I'm happy I was actually able to stick to something and finish it, which is something I'm not the best at. I guess that's all part of growing up, isn't it? I have so many different ideas and stories I want to share, but I need to pick one and stick to it! Don't worry, I already have another idea that I'm ready to focus on after Salvation!

     I suppose I should say something about Salvation itself. Well, personally, I feel like Salvation, more than anything is a story about people. I only used the dystopian backdrop to more easily bring about certain issues. Also, at the time I was first writing Salvation, I was really getting into games like Horizon Zero Dawn, Nier: Automata, and Xenoblade Chronicles X, so I was kind of addicted to post-apocalyptic aesthetics. But in the end, I settled on a bleak, near-future world for Salvation. As I began to flesh out the story, I decided not to lean into the apocalypse aesthetic, as I felt it might overshadow the characters' personal experiences.

     Speaking of which, I understand that Salvation might have been difficult for some people to read through. I guess I shouldn't beat around the bush— I imagine reading Tsuki's story might have been difficult for some people. Even now, when I go back to edit and re-read some parts I think to myself "wow, this is kind of a dark thing to write about, and for a 16-year old to write about it, no less". At the end of the day, I felt compelled to write it back then, so I don't want to whitewash it for the sake of making the story more 'clean'. It has been difficult for me to put a recommended age for the story, though, as the themes of Salvation are kind of mature, yet I wrote the majority of the story as a minor. 

      Of course, I sincerely hope that the specifics of Tsuki's story aren't relatable for most, but I know that some of the more general things he had to deal with are sort of a universal experience for most [femme and LGBT+] teens and young adults. I feel like everyone probably has a story when they were sexualized— whether it be directly or, more commonly, indirectly by someone saying something like 'you shouldn't wear that, it gives people the wrong idea about you,' as if you're the one at fault, not the creepy older person. When that's first pointed out to us, it really sucks. Young people (today probably more than ever) have to deal with so much crap about their appearance, that these sort of comments (although perhaps made in good faith) can hurt. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wrote Salvation at a unique point in my life that (as I observe in others) is forgotten as we grow up, so it's important that I write about it. 

     Please remember to be understanding about one another. We may think we understand someone just by looking at them, but please remember that you can't uncover the contents of a person's heart with just one glance. 

    Anyways, thank you for making it this far! Apparently, this story is a 12-hour read? Wow... To be honest, I'm not sure that many people will make it this far. It's been 3 years, and I still don't know how the Wattpad algorithm works. In all likelihood, this story will be lost into the bottomless void that is cyberspace and fade into obscurity, with only myself and a few other individuals aware of its existence. But that's okay. I'm not a writer— just a person who likes to write. So that means this is far from my last story! I'll be back again with something new, and a little more lighthearted. 

    See you!