Design Post #2

On Friday, write a blog post that reflects upon your reading/watching habits. In particular, think of these questions: What makes a good story? What kinds of stories do you consume? What do you find engaging or especially interesting about these stories? What features (characters, plot, writing, images, sounds….) do you find especially good? What makes a story keep your attention?

Throughout the week, I allow myself to be consumed by the mediated texts and videos available. These range from food videos on Youtube to life stories on Reddit. I typically gravitate towards stories that contain content that align with my interests. For example, I enjoy reading manga stories and have invested my time in following the weekly releases of a new chapter. Each chapter is a continuation of a complex story presented by the writer. 

In the manga, Kimetsu No Yaiba, a story is developed through detailed development of its numerous characters, giving each one a unique backstory that will compel the readers to understand all the actions and plot relevance. With weekly updates, a chapter's cliffhanger leaves the readers yearning for more and waiting for the moment the next will release. I am currently on chapter 178 for this specific story, and I dread the day it may end, as the depth that each character provides makes a story that can be continuously improved and expanded.



I spend my free time scrolling through the different communities on Reddit, a platform for people to post stories, videos, and random things of their interest. Since its a forum for people to have an open discussion, many authentic stories are derived from the posts that are made. A popular subreddit that I enjoy reading is /IAmA, which allows people with unique stories to open the forum to its community members to ask them questions in which they reply within a given amount of time. The subreddit has had unique stories from people such as Barack Obama and Bill Gates, who have both answered the questions of curious redditors and answered their miscellaneous questions and expanded on their personal story.


As for non-written stories, I enjoy watching Korean Dramas, in which writers develop a unique story that can be brought to life through talented actors. These stories can provide the most visualization and allow the viewers to imagine beyond what they can only see, and to think more deeply about the outcomes of the story. Hotel Del Luna, a trending drama across the world, is a story about a woman who has become a ghost and manages a hotel for ghosts in the living world, providing them a safe passage to heaven after finally dealing with their grudges.

Any story should provoke more thought and allow the audience to derive their own possibilities of how the story may continue after it ends. For authentic, real experiences, the stories should provide insight in how certain people may share or have differentiating perspectives about the world. Stories ultimately give people more perspective and allow those with an open mind to grow and learn more from their experience.