Month: May 2020

inspiration, New Ideas

Small Town To Global

carolyncordon

I’m a writer, and I am most famous for being the Editor of a newsletter, that is distributed around the small town I live near. I live in a ‘township’, where there are no shops, only houses, with a hairdresser, who works out of a caravan at her home.

I love my township, and I love the town of Mallala. I once worked at a job at the Mallala Council, as it was then, now Adelaide Plains Council. Mallala is a town with only around 500 people living in , or close to it. So when I say ‘famous’ it’s nowhere near mega big time famous …

But I like what I do, I like the people I work on the Newsletter with. The Mallala Crossroad Chronicle is available on Facebook, where interested people can see it in colour, whereas the copy that goes around town, and other places, is in black and white. People tell me it’s the words that matter the most, not any fancy colour, which is good to hear.

The Mallala War Memorial, commemorating the men from the district who died in World War One.

So, I’m a small town gal, but I had a big idea, and I’m giving my all (almost), to that idea, because it feels like the biggest and most important thing to do right now. The world is suffering, people are dying, and there is no cure for what ails them, beyond using a ventilator, to try to keep affected people breathing artificially. This doesn’t always work …

With such a global issue, there are a variety of stories from people about how they are managing, what is their own situation, and whether they are coping with being in Lock Down. I’m doing well enough, staying at home and rarely going out is quite common for writers without any other job.

The volunteer work I do to get the Crossroad Chronicle printed is largely done via email, with a drive once a month, to pick up printed copies, for distribution. And no that we’re in a Covid-19 world, my writing group is now meeting online, on the usual meeting day, once a week. That is working well, but it’s not the same as meeting up with other group members, who have all become friends …

So I’m mostly stuck at home, living well enough, but seeing the hardships of others, and the illness and the deaths. I was feeling like I should do something, but what? This is the biggest thing in the world happening, so many people, so many different stories each of us have. What could I do?

The view from my most common writing spot at home, on the sofa, laptop on my lap

And I had a great idea, and immediately began working to get my idea happening. What could I do? I could gather stories, and edit them into an Anthology! Because I’m a writer, and an editor of the Mallala Crossroad Chronicle, I felt I could definitely do this. So, I have this blog, I have many writer friends from near and far This was an idea calling to me, and was something I had to do.

So I’m doing it! The anthology title came to be first, the phrase Plague Invasion. and from there, I began writing on this blog far more often, and not surprisingly, the number of visitors to my blog have increased, and the idea of this Anthology with the expanded title of “Plague Invasion – Responses to Covid-19” has gone out into the world, with a call for people to submit work to be considered for possible publication.

I’m a poet and writer, and can easily write fiction as sell as non fiction, poetry and prose. And that is what is needed for this anthology. I am requesting submission of up to three poems of up to thirty lines, and/or up to three pieces of prose of up to a total of 3,000 words, and I want them sent to this email address: kittycordo@gmail.com with the subject line of “Plague Invasion submission (your name)”
If you would like to know more about this you can either post a question in a comment here, or send an email to the same email address, subject line “Plague Invasion query (your name)”.

All contributors who have their work accepted will be able to buy a copy of the book at cost price plus postage and handling. And they will be able to buy further copies at half price normal price.

Together, we can produce a great piece of history, looking at how people managed to get through this plague. I’d like a wide range of responses, from serious to silly, and all things in between. Particular subjects of interest to me are medical opinions, political ones, sports, parents with children at home, teachers trying to teach with their students can’t be there, and many other ideas I haven’t even thought of yet.

So think about it, share the word with your friends, and send some great and interesting pieces of writing to me. We are living history, and I want the stories of how everyone, from ordinary person, to nurse or doctor, to community worker, to teacher, sporting person unable to play, keen sports watcher reduced to watching replays of games previously watched, and many other stories. Send them to me, I’ll consider them and this Anthology will emerge.

meaning in life, New Ideas

Sometimes Life Intrudes

carolyncordon

I had an idea, an excellent and caring idea, one that would, or at least could, bring hope and understanding to many others. It was an idea for a book, an Anthology, on a less than lovely thing, a virus, but with a lovely effect on those who will read the words within.

This idea is still with me, even though the fire in my mind has calmed somewhat. Life happened, and keeps on happening, and in this Covid-19 world, life keeping on is an excellent thing, isn’t it? The garden has been part of the reason for a slight step back, but it’s under control, and I’m back on board with this Anthology now.

Old photo, same garden, the plant is being supplanted, perhaps …

I have a number of submissions for this Anthology I am going to put together, and edit, which is great. But for an Anthology of note, which is what this Anthology may end up being, many more works, poetry or prose, or both, are needed. I have a vision of this book being at least 80 pages long, but at the moment, it is far fewer pages long than that.

I know there are people, friends, and others who intend submitting their work to me for this Anthology, so I’m sure it will easily get to 40 pages at least, but that is not a noteworthy length for such a subject, one that has captured us and held us prisoner, in many ways. Even those who are still able to work, do so with an altered sense on what is ‘safe’.

I would love to have a piece from a medical person, talking about how this virus has brought on changes to the way they do their work, or about how in many ways it has brought better awareness in others about the skills they have learnt in their working life, and how we all should apply those skills to our own lives, to keep safe, or at least safer …

I’d like to have something from a musician, writing about new ways of sharing their work with others, or teachers who have, or don’t have students at their school. Or what about all manner of workers, performing essential services, who are unable to be as close to those they love, without much vigorous cleaning of themselves, and their things that may have been infected as they work … I want these stories, and more.

Writing about this anthology, on this blog, and posting other blog posts, as thoughts occur to me on a variety of other subjects, these have brought more people to my blog, some of whom have liked my words, and made connections with me. I would love every one of those beautiful and thoughtful people to think about their life now, and how it is affected by Covid-19.

Every person in the world could have a new and different way of looking at this virus, what it means, where it came from, and what the future may bring in this changed post-Covid-19 world. Or is there actually a post-Covid-19 world possible? We don’t have a vaccination yet, though scientists and medical people are working on it. And even if there was a vaccination, would enough people have that vaccination?

I’d love to receive pieces on and around these issues. And what about those who love conspiracies, why not write something about how it was all done on purpose by the Chinese government, to bring down America, or by America to bring down the Chinese, or whatever other permutations there may be. This Anthology should cover those issues too, so it brings further discussion into the subject.

So, please, this is what I’m looking for – poetry or prose, unpublished or published (as long as you hold the copyright). Up to three poems of thirty lines or fewer, or up to three prose pieces of up to 2,000 words (combined), that’s what I’m after, anything at all in response to ‘Covid-19’. If I like it and it meets the guidelines regarding length, you’re in!

So submit to kittycordo@gmail.com with the subject line of ‘Plague Invasion submission (and your name)’. Of if you’d like to know more about this, send an email with the subject line of ‘Plague Invasion query (and your name)’. Or you could ask a question in the comments section below. I check my comments regularly, and will respond as soon as possible.

That’s it, think about it, send it in. You won’t get a free copy, but if your work is accepted, you will receive a copy at cost price, plus postage and handling, and if you require further copies, they will be available to you at half price. Making lots of money is not my aim with this book, spreading knowledge and ideas is the aim.

I look forward to reading your words!

inspiration, meaning in life

When Initial Enthusiasm Wanes …

carolyncordon

Creative people – writers, visual artists, sculptors, photographers, filmmakers, all of us, get a burst of energy, and their whole life can focus on their new fantastic thing. Other people hear about their idea, and give them positive feedback, and the creative one keeps on going, creative fire setting their mind alight!

That’s how it is for me, and on looking at my friends, and other creative people, it looks like it happens for others that way too. Their work is their life, their life is there work, as much as it possible. Of course, some aspects of ‘normal’ life have to go on, but the creative person’s being is focused on their bright and shining ‘thing’.

This state can last for the whole of a project, if things are going well, you’re meeting your goals, and is the best it can be. This is a great thing, if it happens, but the truth is that enthusiasm can blaze and then splutter, and finally going out, like a candle in the wind of indifference. If you think your ‘thing’ is a good one to have happen, you’ll need to work to help keep it going, and the keep your interest in it happening.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-lighted-candle-220618/

Find the resources you need to top up your enthusiasm – I found – How to Keep Your Enthusiasm When You Hit a Slump, today, and it’s helping for sure. Keeping the initial idea, the overwhelming reason, and purpose of the idea in mind is paramount, to keep that keen desire to get that great thing done, and done as well as you possibly can. If the idea doesn’t feel like an important thing to anyone else, it can be difficult to keep going.

But there was a reason why you started out with your big thing, to help you keep on track with it, focus on:

what that thing was,

why it’s important,

how it helps others, and

why it matters in the great scheme of things.

If you can create a list of these reasons, and the writing and reading again of that list fires you up again, and sparks that enthusiasm up again, that’s great. Keep the list for those times when you may need it, when enthusiasm wanes.

You can then get back to your idea, with the fire burning bright again, knowing why you are putting your effort in, and that it is a good thing to put your energy into. Print out your list, perhaps, to glance at when you begin back at that task, and it can help keep the fire burning bright.

On the other hand, if, on looking at your idea, you fail to get any more than a slight flicker of interest happening, then it’s probably good to put that idea aside. It may have been a good thing at a particular time, but that time is gone now, or maybe the time is yet to come. So, if the time isn’t right now, it isn’t the thing for you to spend all of your energy on. Keep the idea on the back burner, peek at it now and then perhaps, but don’t give it your whole being.

Different people have their own things that spark the interest in them, for the important things in life, that make them feel what they do is relevant, and worth doing. If you have those things, or that one overwhelming thing, it can help make you feel your life matters, and that feeling is a wonderful thing to have. It helps you get up in the morning, it helps you to get through difficult times, it gives you reason for being. It is the clue to tell you the answer to the big question ‘Why you are here?’

So remember the thing that means the most to you, and work hard to maintain the enthusiasm, but when that flame flickers, shield it from the wind, and remember that what you are doing is important. Look at your list again, remember the Why?, rekindle the fire, and go!

Words and ideas are my thing, the candle that keeps me alive to life!

It isn’t a failure, to feel this waning happening, it is only a failure if you don’t try to get the enthusiasm fanned, and burning bright again!