Harmless Things (Jean Hobbs AU)

Harmless Things 'Explanation'

Jack

I am nothing like Jack in this story. I was never popular at school, I have a brother and a sister and I see my mum all the time. Nevertheless, I like Jack's character since he is completely different from me. 

At the start, you see him as just the popular boy at school with lots of friends and girls hanging onto his every word. He's pretty much your average teenage boy, but I think writing from his point of view made him seem more interesting than what his stereotype would suggest. He is fascinated with people and just a softie with a lot of love to give.

Jack's story with figuring out and accepting his sexuality is hardly a rare story. It's the only thing I can relate to with Jack, and I know it actually took me years to come to terms with mine. I don't believe it's ever easy for anyone to just go "oh, I'm gay? Cool!" and accept it like it's the easiest thing in the world. Questioning your sexuality can overtake and consume you. I was always jumping back and forth from being okay about it to being completely in denial and so I put my own experience into Jack to try and make it more realistic.

Obviously the only thing that made it much more difficult for him was his homophobic parents. If he didn't have this problem, he probably would've come to terms with his sexuality a lot easier and quicker. He knows he can't change his parents' opinions, and even knowing this, he came out to them, and I think it was the bravest thing he could've done. (Part thirty-three)

Daniel 

I absolutely adored writing from Dan's point of view. If I'm most like anyone in this story, it would be him.

I didn't really focus on him as a person much since he wasn't a major character. He's quiet, thoughtful, and talented and he is more observant than Dean thinks. I think his chapters fill in some gaps and you can see just a little bit more of the effect Jack has on Dean in a different light. 

I think I regret not having his point of view more since writing in his was a pleasure. I found him to be a really interesting a character since I was in a totally different mindset and I think part twenty-seven is one of the best things I've ever wrote. 

Research

I had a bunch of stuff I had to research and take notes on. Here's a list:

Glioblastoma Multiforme

• Symptoms

• Diagnosis 

    a) neurological exam

    b) MRI scan

    c) Biopsy (surgery - getting a sample of tumour)

• Treatments

    a) antibiotics

    b) steroids

    c) anti-seizure

    d) morphine

    e) radiation

• Progression of cancer

    a) growth of tumour

    b) how the patient worsens

Effects of cancer on others

• Cancer stories written by relatives/friends point of view

Homophobia

• Why some people are homophobic

• Stories of homophobic bullying in school

Funerals

• What to do/who to contact when someone has died at home

• What happens at burial services

• What needs planning for funerals e.g. colour of flowers

Statistics

•Word count: 79,218 words

•Number of parts in Jack's P.O.V.: 17

•Number of parts in Dean's P.O.V.: 21

•Number of parts in Daniel's P.O.V.: 2

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I tried to make this as short and simple as I could but it looks a little muddled and I've probably missed quite a lot out. I congratulate you if you made it through all of this - it was a lot longer than what I had in mind!

Thanks so much for reading 'Harmless Things', it means the world :)

Any questions? Leave them in the comments!