Junior Workshop Highlights

The project: A YA coming-of-age novel called The Drummer Boy that explored why people fear change.

The inspiration: I always knew I wanted to do a Junior Workshop project related to writing or creating a new piece of artwork, because I'm a very creative minded individual. I've written short stories and novels in the past, and I decided to challenge myself to do something new, which is where I got the idea to make a short film. I eventually opted to pivot and make it a novel instead, because that's where my skill set is. With this project, I wanted to write something that I knew either I or people like me could relate to. Representation is so important, so I hoped to create a story centering a queer person doing something interesting, but not necessarily a queer story. 

The process: The main question my project asked was: “Why do people fear change?” The concept of neophobia is usually studied in babies, but I wanted to talk about it in terms of how young adults feel when everything around them is changing so fast. I think focusing on the research is a really important part of Junior Workshop so you have a scope of how much content is out there related to your topic. I had a lot of fun researching. For the first portion of my research, I read articles and papers that dove into the psychology of why people fear change. During the second portion, I researched how to write a screenplay and how to make a short film and watched different coming-of-age movies, short films, and episodes of TV shows. I eventually pivoted to a novel and wrote around 32 pages worth of content. 

What I learned: One thing that I took away from Junior Workshop was how to accept process. This is actually kind of funny, but in the process of writing my book about neophobia, I learned that I, too, have a fear of change. I think that's actually very normal for kids my age, where everything is changing, and you are learning whole different rules for a society that you are about to go into. It’s scary, and it's also very abrupt how fast people are assuming that you learn things. I was in the process of getting feedback for my project, and I really didn't want to change a lot about the way the story was written – the plot, or the way the characters acted – because I felt like it was really important to the story. Then my advisor said, “Mars, you need to realize that the change is important, and it needs to happen.” Even if it wasn't what you were imagining at the beginning of your project, it's still important to recognize how you got there and how it helped you in the long run. A lot of people don't think change is helpful, but it is. 

What’s next: I think the content of the book is very important, not just for me but for others who have similar feelings, so I want to finish the project. I continue to write and I’m up to almost 50 pages. The hope is that one day, with enough budgeting and planning and more people, I would be able to turn it into an actual film. Having my ideas visualized would be the next step in my artistry.