Share in the Adventure of Creating a Story

We invite you to take part in this Collaborative Tale

Hi and welcome!

We’re excited and thankful to welcome you to Collaborative Tales, where we invite you to share in the adventure of creating a story.

The first Collaborative Tale features The Other Side of the Ocean, a story written by me and participating readers, including possibly…

you.

(If you want to!)

Where can I go to participate?

You can start reading and participating in The Other Side of the Ocean in the comments section after section one.

How does it work?

There are multiple ways to participate in a Collaborative Story. Every time we publish a new chapter, you’re invited to read and to share your feedback and story ideas in the comments section below that chapter.

Sometimes the story will end with a specific prompt, inviting you to help answer a particular question that can influence the story’s direction. At all times, you’re welcome to share your own insights, ideas and experiences that you think might help influence the story.

Do you want to read? Write? Share ideas? Influence characters and storytelling? Talk to other people? You can do any or all of these when you share in the adventure of creating a Collaborative Tale!

Do I have to be a writer or a reader to participate? Are there any requirements?

No! Well, you need to be a reader in the sense that you read the story. But other than that, no professional experience is necessary at all. This is a collaborative effort that can help all of us to learn and to grow while enjoying a good story.

The only requirement is that we all contribute to making this a safe, kind community. No swear words or harmful messages will be tolerated. We’re working together to create a safe space for everyone to share, learn, grow and enjoy.

What’s the story about?

The Other Side of the Ocean is a YA contemporary story about Hailey, whose anxiety in her final year of high school snowballs into hypochondria, which she feels closer to getting under control through secret weekly sessions with her school’s kind and supportive counsellor. When she visits her family doctor as a way to address her worries about health, her doctor asks her to find out her family history. Asking her mom seems easy enough—but her dad? They never talk about his side—ever, ever, ever, ever. It’s like they don’t exist.

It’s a lot to handle alone. Hailey knows that friendships matter, but can she open up and share her struggle with Almira, her closest friend, or perhaps Abi, her distant classmate who’s starting running into her in the counsellor’s office?

In some ways, Hailey feels even more stressed now. Should she ask her dad about their family history, and completely change the comfortable dynamic she has at home with her two loving parents? Or should she try to get the answer on her own—adding more secrets to their family?

How do I know when a new chapter has been posted, or whether my feedback has been included?

If you subscribe to Collaborative Tales, new chapters will get sent right to your inbox. You can also choose to keep visiting our Substack page to check for new content.

Who are the creators behind Collaborative Tales?

This project was started by Leong Hiew and Marisa Baratta.

Leong has a social enterprise called Learning with Leong that promotes the joy of learning. His describes himself as someone who likes to take scenic routes to destinations. This project is one of the scenic routes he is taking. He asked Marisa to join him because he thought Marisa may also like the route and destination.

Marisa loves writing, especially fiction that touches your heart, opens your mind, makes you laugh and inspires positive change. Her shelves are lined with short stories, poems and chapter books she wrote since she was five. She wrote multiple articles that have been featured in Canadian publications and also writes a monthly newsletter for fellow writers and creators called Doing the Write Thing. When Leong pitched to her the idea of creating a story in the spirit of learning and collaboration, Marisa was thrilled; she’s always loved learning and school and hopes that this story will help bring people together in positive ways.

We’re both grateful to have you here as a reader/participant and we’re excited to embark on this storytelling adventure with you!

Signed,

Marisa

Leong