Author: carolyncordon

Wife, mother, Poet, Writer, Art Installationist, Stand Up Comedian, Dog Enthusiast. Spending most of my time being creative in a variety of sometimes quirky ways! I have suffered in my life, I have had wonderful things occur in my life. Concentrating on the wonderful things makes it easier for me to live a great life.
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!

inspiration, Writing

Do Writers Need to be Good at Waiting?

carolyncordon

When you’re writer, there are many times you might have to wait. You wait for the Muse to visit, you wait to find the time to write, you wait to hear back for feedback, you wait to hear whether your submission was accepted.

Then if your work is accepted, you wait for the publisher to do their bits and pieces, until the book is printed. Then it may be that waiting stops, and you are in full-mode marketing of your book, or maybe not. Either way, a part of you will be waiting to get back to your next writing project.

Every star has a story!

And then, when you actually get back to that next project, the wait for your Muse, and the ideas, and then the feedback, etc, etc, comes again. This could be tedious, but if you’re a clever writer, you have a secret weapon. And that secret weapon is that you never actually stop thinking about writing! Yay to that!

Well, actually, calm down a bit … It’s probably a good idea, rather than always be thinking about writing, actually living a life worth writing about, could be the best thing ever. If you can do that, you will be living such a good life, that there is no room for anything tedious. And how do you manage to live that good life?

Living a life, gathering ideas, getting ready to write!

Do the things that interest you, amuse or enthrall you, that confuse you, intrigue you, irritate or bemuse you. Live a life that brings puzzles to be solved, reasons to be bold, challenges, triumphs, but losses too, so that you understand the points of view of everyone who may ever be found in something you might write about.

Books, whether fiction or non fiction, work best if there are winners and losers, heroes and villians, loves lost, loves found. These things make the world of your writing go around, living, and breathing, and above all, worth writing and definitely worth reading!

Well, have you ever thought about why you write? If you have, but don’t know the answer, that’s fine. If you haven’t, because you think the answer doesn’t matter, that’s fine too. The reality of it is that most writers write because it’s the thing that brings them the most joy, than means the most to them, that is the thing that makes them feel like they’re doing the thing that matters the most to them.

If you’re one of those people who writes, a writer, then everything you do is really a gathering of more material, to use when you can next get your words written down, so there isn’t really any ‘waiting’ as such, you just need to be good at using time in the best way you can, to add the most to your writing.

The time in between shouldn’t be considered useless waiting time, but useful gathering time, living your best life, thinking about it, and putting what you have gathered into what you are currently writing. And if you aren’t actually writing anything, are you sure about that? Maybe there’s a spot at the back of your mind that’s busily putting X and Y together, and coming up with story Z!

Getting story Z written should be you most important thing, you know that, don’t you? Your mind had done the work behind the scenes, but you need to drag it from the back of your mind, into the forefront of your mind, so you can look at what you have, and write that story, book, poem, article, whatever your next thing is.

So make the time, give that next writing thing what it deserves, your attention. Whether you work full time, part time, or not at all, but have this or that, in other commitments, realise what you most need to do to do the best you can for yourself, and give yourself time to write. Don’t wait for the time, make the time. It’s your life, and you are a writer, so don’t wait for the best time, the best time is right now, so write!

Uncategorized

Community Means So Much!

carolyncordon

Words, they’re our tools, aren’t they, for us writers? We wield them, wave, them, weave with them, making our message, our thoughts and ideas come forward in a way others can read, hear, understand, and if needed, action.

I am a writer, and poet, I write fiction and non fiction, some of my words are published, some not, or not yet. The words I write, or put together, from others, that give me the most satisfaction though, are the words inside a newsletter, the Mallala Crossroad Chronicle. I’ve been the sole editor of this for over ten years, spreading the news of Mallala around the town, and beyond.

Mallala is the closest town to where I live, only 6 km away, and I am glad to be doing this appreciated task for everyone. The Chronicle is also a fund-raiser for my writing group, and helps to pay the prizes for the winners of our national poetry competition. I’m also pleased that I am able to give writers I know, the opportunity to write articles for the Chronicle each month. Sharing in this way makes it easier for me, and better for them!

They don’t get paid for their articles, but they have the knowledge that the words they write, will be read by a willing audience. And isn’t that why we right? To have our words read? Getting those thoughts out of our heads and onto the page or screen that’s important too, but writers who don’t wish to have an audience for what they write are in the minority, I feel. Some writing can be written as ‘narrative therapy’ at first, but even if we never intended those particular words to ever be read by someone else, they so often have our strongest, and most compelling words.

This narrative therapy writing can help a writer to connect with a new community, a community of people who know the truth of what you were writing about, because they are suffering in the same ways you are. True connections made, and friendships can happen too, because sharing personal truth with another person, isn’t that what the best friendships have, deep down. They might wander off to coffee and cakes, but at the beginning are those true stories you’ve shared wither each other …

Coffee and churros, I was there with a true friend …

And now, speaking of true stories, takes me to the other reason I am writing this blog post. At the moment, in late April 2020, the world is largely in lock down, and working from home, unless their work is considered to be ‘essential’. Covid-19 is a virus that is more deadly than the flu, and has killed many people around the world. I had the idea that this was an important time, and the things, and ideas written at this time, would become historically important.

And so began “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing Responses To Covid-19”. I began asking for writers and poets to submit their words about this, on this blog with this post, and things have gone on from there. I was just reading through my blog posts, looking for that one that I just put the link up too, and it was interesting reading them all. I was hovering on the edge of pausing my other writing project, not really wanting to get stuck properly into it, and then, Bang, the anthology took over.

That’s how it feels. This Plague Invasion anthology idea has taken over my life. Normal things are no longer possible, not in this lock down phase, but I can call for submission of creative writing relating to Covid-19, for sure. It seems to have stepped up as the most important thing I can do write now. Writers are those who have a need to write, and editors are the people who work to help writers to get their words ‘out there’.

So if you’re a writer, with things you want, or need to share with others, please consider the Anthology I’m working on. It will become a book. I have a strong passion to make that happen, I have enough money to make it happen, it will happen. I hope you want to help, and will send in your poetry or prose concerning Covid-19, and we can make the book happen together.

I don’t know how long it will take to have this anthology put together and printed. I’ve written on this blog that I will go on accepting work until the end of July this year. So that will mean it won’t be ready to be published, and have copies of the book available until closer to the end of this year … Will the Covid-19 thing all be over and forgotten about by then? I don’t think so. I think it will still be very much with us. And books such as this one I will produce will be there, to remind us about this time, so the truth of it is never lost, hidden by the ‘official’ story.

write it down, get it out!

So write your own true Covid-19 words, and know you are helping to record history, for yourself, for your community, and for us all.

meaning in life

Does Life Have A Meaning?

carolyncordon

For some people their family,and caring for them gives a meaning to their life, for others it’s their job, or the work they do when they’re home from work – volunteers. For parents raising their child or children brings meaning to their life …

At various times in our lives we would answer this question differently, and all of those answers could be true, for that particular time. But what does ‘having a meaning’ actually mean? And what does Life mean? Making it to work five days a week, for as long as we have a particular job, is that a life with meaning? Is work an overarching worthy thing for a person to do? Yes, for sure, for some people, with some jobs, that could be true.

For others, work is merely the thing that pays for the important things in their live the things that mean the most to them, the things that bring meaning to their lives. We are all alive, but for some, truly living a life is a dream, and they are merely existing, rather than living. I’ve had a full time job early in my life. I worked as a clerical assistant, going straight from finishing high school, to working in an office in a government department.

At that time, I certainly didn’t feel it gave a meaning to my life. I liked the money, I liked the friends I made at work, but it was only a job, it didn’t feel like it was giving me a meaning in my life. I was existing, and I was learning how to be an adult. The meaning there for me, was to move from child to grown up, and do my work as best I could. No overarching meaning that felt overwhelmingly important.

Then I met the man who became my husband, and we began showing dogs together. For many people, being involved in the dog show world, and breeding dogs gives their life a meaning. They give their all to their dogs, and working their way to the top of the ladder, in Dog Show terms. Becoming a judge, travelling the world to judge the dogs of others, becomes a greater meaning for them. That was never a thing that felt like a thing I wanted to give my all too, and so wasn’t worried when we gave that world away.

Dog showing for some years was a fun thing to do, we made some friends, won ribbons, bred dogs, became friends with some of the people who bought dogs from us, but it wasn’t a thing with meaning for my husband and I. It was fun for a while, but we weren’t upset to give it all away. We had a son, we had other things that were or more interest to us than winning ribbons with our dogs was. Our son, being parents to him, gave us a far more overwhelming meaning to our lives.

Our son has grown up now, and is living his own life. Being a parent is now a different thing, not an overwhelmingly important thing. We succeeded in raising him to be a good person, and he is his own person now, a friend, as well as our son, but not again, not an overwhelming thing in my life, not anymore. Being his mother when he was young certainly was, but is no longer. I’m his mum we love each other, and that’s good, but not huge.

I have other things I do, now, and my writing life grows ever larger for me. Writing, bringing new books into the world, and being involved with others who do the same, that brings meaning to my life. Sharing my words, though my writing, that feels like the meaningful life for me, for sure. Connecting with other people who care about thoughts, and sharing their thoughts through their words, these things feel good, very important things.

And writing now, through this blog, has now stepped up another mark. In the light of the coronavirus, in the shape of Covid-19, we are all now living different lives, lives in Lock Down, or in essential services, when any connection may bring the virus and its consequences into our lives. Having a chronic illness that could potentially mean I may face bigger danger than others, perhaps, has meant I’m taking this isolation seriously, for sure.

But in my isolation, I’ve had more time to think about the important things in life, in my life, and in my thinking, I realised their was a thing I could do, a big thing, that could bring more meaning to my life. I love my life, but is there big thing there, a thing I do that brings greater meaning to my life? Perhaps not, but now, this new thing, could be that thing.

I came up with a phrase, it lit up my brain, and so began my current obsession, that of producing an anthology that looks at the locked in lives and the possibility of being sick from, or dying from Covid-19. The phrase was ‘plague invasion’, and so started this book – “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing Responses to Covid-19”.

But an Anthology needs words, many more than an idea, and a title, and so began my call to the world – send me your words, in the form of poetry and/or prose, and I will consider your words, and make this now book, an exciting relevant and important look at an historic time in the lives of us all, one that will go down in history, to be remembered, and written about further, perhaps referring to the Anthology I will produce and publish.

So if you’d like to become a part of the written history of this time, check out the details about this book here, and we’ll make history together!