long-term writing projects: - finish the nine novels I've started. They range from one to eleven chapters.
First, finish the 10th novel I've started. It's a thriller set in the endurance riding scene on the New England Plateau, around Gerard National Park, Glen Innes and Tenterfield. Reason for this one as the priority: I have no other options for earning a better income. I realise that getting published has a chance of 1 in 5,000 - but a few experienced writers are strongly encouraging me. A few samples of my work have finally reached a publishable standard. If anyone wishes, I could temporally post chapter one of the thriller here in a series of 5 blogs. Feedback would be welcome.
2nd/3rd, work on a novel centred in the aged care industry. I worked there for three years. I've experienced a King-Lear-like story - my mother as Lear, my sister as Regan, myself, Cordelia - the modern version with all its twists. These two themes would mesh together perfectly. They touch on all the ethical, social and emotional dilemmas of aged care issues in the Western world - a big thing now baby boomers are reaching this stage.
2nd/3rd, overcome my resistance to researching my Permaculture novel. It's the shyness - fear of ringing strangers to request recorded interviews. Bill Mollison - the most famous of the four founders of the movement, started the first permaculture community 14 kilometres from where I live. His cronies are still alive. The farm is all gone now - even the traces. It fell apart due to social dysfunction - a melodramatic story of infidelities and betrayals - of character defects multiplying. What it signifies for me is the vital relevance of communication skills to the success or failure of how we combat climate change. Permaculture is a carbon-neutral way to produce healthy food and sustain and nurture natural ecosystems at the same time. It can also be used for carbon sequestration and methane reduction. But if humans can't get on with each other, these methods fall down.
I can't decide which should take priority. Global warming is by far the most urgent issue because we have less than twelve years to make a difference. But doing the research work will be onerous and hard. With the aged care theme, I have every fact and all the characters and dynamics in my head, ready to pour out.
Other projects - continue writing poems. I have almost enough good ones for my first anthology. - continue writing short stories. - summon the courage to send them off to writerly journals and competitions (and keep a record of everything sent out.)
Ideas and creativity can happen in everyday things too. making gifts a new diet a change in the garden redecorating or reorganising a room experiments in new ways of communicating doing something different to one's normal habits and routines
I am not very creative and I have little motivation for starting anything new. I have little interest in the things I used to like to do. One day at a time for me.
Element 99 