Tag: creative writing

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Why I Enjoy Being A ‘Writer in Residence’

carolyncordon

From looking at my calendar on my phone, I see I’ve been a Writer in Residence since the first Monday in February this year. I’m enjoying my time there, almost all of the time, with only one little blip that wasn’t quite so wonderful …

It was a learning experience, and a lesson that I know understand, and so I hope that particular thing won’t happen again. Being a writer in residence on a regular basis, especially if the venue you are ‘in residence’ at, is a small one means you are quite ‘up close and personal’ with the owner/manager of that venue, and if there is trouble, the owner may have to think hard about whether or not you are of value to their business.

I’ve fallen foul of this ‘up close and personal’ issue in the past, and so took lessons from that experience, and tried to be careful not to fall foul of the same thing that went wrong last time, somewhere else.

The ‘trouble’ this time, was of a different kind, and it has been sorted out, and I am still welcome to be at this venue. I am glad of this, and happily drive off to the Gallery 14 cafe in Hamley Bridge every Monday morning that aren’t Public Holidays. It’s a nice cafe, in a nice town, the coffee is good, and I can set up my books there, and write or chat, as I wish, getting a free coffee whenever I ask for one!

The coffee is good, the ‘feel of the place is friendly and creative, and I have had some lovely conversations with people who have expressed interest in what I am doing there. I’ve sold a few books there too, and shared information about my writing group (Adelaide Plains Poets) and our activities, with people, and that information has been almost always been received with pleasure.

Yes, there was one person not so thrilled with me being there, a complaint was made, but the owner and I have talked it through, and all is fine now. I’m taking care to stick to my own small table though, and not get involved in other people’s conversations, unless they begin the conversation with me.

It is easy for me to stick to writing, and just be present, taking things in, perhaps, but keeping quiet, and writing … This can lead to creative writing happening, and having someone else make the coffee for me as I write, what a fine thing that is! And if I need some sweet food inspiration to go with the coffee, I’m in the right spot for that too, this cafe bake their own delicious items at home and bring them along for us to buy, and devour, with delight!

I certainly like writing at home too, of course, but being somewhere else brings along new ideas and thoughts, and as a creative writer, new ideas are always welcome, to bring new interest to my writing, for me, and I hope for my readers too.

I don’t know how long I will go on being the writer in residence at the Gallery 14 cafe, but I certainly hope it will go on for the rest of this year, and into 2022, because I like it there! It’s a mostly pleasant drive from my house to there, easy to park close enough nearby, and the staff and other customers seem to be fine people.

And my writing group, is going to hold an event at Gallery 14, as a part of our Gawler and Adelaide Plains Festival of Words (Recovery) this year on 23 July, where we will have lunch at the cafe, then hold a “Show and Tell” session, where writers will be able to read from their own writing, for an interested audience, which I think will be an interesting ‘new’ thing for the cafe, and the writers!

Having a Writer in Residence spot in a library would by good, too, especially if that library had a cafe there too, or a cafe nearby, anyway. It’s not that I’m a coffee addict, and usually only have one or two of those free cups of coffee, and Gallery 14, because I know what too much caffeine does to my brain when it’s time to go to sleep at night!

But I do feel that coffee is an important part of my creativity, or at least it’s something I like to have when I’ve settled down to do some writing, anyway … And if there is some yummy food available too, that is a bonus! I may be trying to lose a little bit more weight, but I can adjust what I have for my evening meal if I splash out for something yummy over lunch!

Today I met some new people and we had a lovely chat, and I also chatted with a regular customer I often meet at the cafe, and he sat and chatted with me about various things. It was all pleasant, and while I didn’t actually write a lot, and didn’t sell any books, it was still a worthwhile visit, spreading the word about who I am, and what I do …

So if anyone reading this ever gets the chance to be a Writer in Residence, I say go for it, be aware of any ‘things’ happening, and work on being of value to the venue you’re in residence at!

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Life, the same, but very, very different too …

carolyncordon

I suspect this blog post is likely to have a bit of a Stoic angle to it, but that’s OK, in fact it’s a good thing. Looking at life from a Stoic angle, when things are looking pear-shaped is probably the best way to look at life, in troubling times. And these certainly are troubling times.

Writing about it here, on my writing blog makes sense though, because, well, this is where I have the most followers, and I’m hoping what I write will be worth reading for others. And a note to any newcomers to Stoic Thought – being a Stoic does not mean one must live a boring, life, with no emotional actions happening. It simply means one will accept the good, and the bad things too, and deal with them in the best way you can.

And that ‘best way you can’, doesn’t just mean best for you, it means best for you, your family and friends, your community and the entire world. So obviously, being a good Stoic is a big thing, if you’re doing it all well. I don’t imagine I will ever have a huge impact on the entire world, but if the call goes out for me, I’ll be there, doing my Stoic best!

Is writing a Stoic thing? Being a poet and writer, fiction and non fiction, books, a community newsletter, blogging. Some of it is at the more flippant end of things, some more serious. I have had lots of fun times with family and friends in my life, but I have had some terrible things happen too. Such is the way of our lives. Good and bad, and yes, if we wish to live our best possible life, we must find ways to handle all of it, and do it well.

One of my blogs talks about sexual abuse, and another of them talks of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Both of these things have been in my life. The sexual abuse happened when I was a child and teen, the MS has been with me since I was diagnosed with it in 2010, and unless there is a cure found, it will be with me forever.

I have thought long about these things, and written about them in my creative writing, firstly with the poetry collection, https://damagedchildrenpreciousgems.wordpress.com/ and more recently, https://mickjaneandme.wordpress.com/ These two books have been great and therapeutic for me, allowing me to examine things in ways where I control what is happening, and looking from a variety of different points of view. I am a firm believer in these therapeutic possibilities from creative writing. I know that other people have found help in these books, and I am glad of that.

In fact, one of my best life things to do, I suspect, would be to assist others to travel from victim to survivor, and then further, to being one who is thriving in life. This is a possible thing, I am living proof of it. I have good family and friends who love and care about me, I have a safe and secure home, with enough money available to go on living here, easily and well.

I am not held back by my Chronic Illness, and for that, I can thank both my excellent medication, and the lifestyle choices I have adopted – reduce stress, increase healthy eating, get some exercise into my life, and go on thinking about my life in positive, rather than negative ways. There are bad things in life, yes, but I am going well, and helping others to do the same, when and if I can.

So this year, 2020, was going to be the year of Great things, with the whole 2020 Vision vibe of life, but then Covid-19 came along. Did I let that make me close down, and hide away from the virus? NO! I decided what I might be able to do, to help others think about how they were doing, and how things may be improved, perhaps.

Before the year was half over, I had put out a call for submissions in response to Covid-19, and very soon I had collected a goodly number of works from around the world. I was thrilled with what I had collected, and I was encouraged to forward this ‘anthology’ to a publisher that I know, to have the anthology professionally published, if possible. I’m currently waiting to hear back from the publisher, and whether they accept this book or not, I intend to launch the anthology at the Gawler and Adelaide Plains Festival of Words, in late July 2021.

This has been my first adventure in being the editor of a big collection, and I have enjoyed it very much. There’s no telling whether or not I will take this kind of thing any further, I have certainly considered the idea of setting up as a Publisher. We’ll see what happens with this anthology first …

This ‘seeing what happens’ attitude is my Stoicism shining through. Taking advantage of opportunities, knuckling down and working when I have to. Knowing what I can do, and doing that, but also stretching myself further, to try do more. These are definitely good ways for me, and for others, to look at their own lives. It’s the old “When life gives you lemons” thing. You don’t sit back and curse, because you wanted a sweeter fruit, instead you get on with doing great things with those lemons you’ve been given!

So, overall, life in many ways is the same for us all, but oh, dangerously different, for those living where the Covid-19 virus is at loose in their community. I feel for those people, and hope that soon, scientists and other medical people can find a vaccine, or other way to finally kill the virus, for us all. It only takes one person, to spread the virus to another, and so it could go again.

Working on Climate Change, tied with action of Covid-19 seems to be how the whole world needs to go, as soon as we possibly can, for all of us!

covid 19

Poetry and Prose in My Life

carolyncordon

The first time a poem I wrote gained attention, was when I was in high school, in year 8 or 9, when I wrote a poem about a farmer who was talking to his god, and asking whether the god wanted him to kill his wife as a sacrifice. What a sweet thing that is, not …

It was a rhyming poem, not in any particular style, and not very many lines. But it had pathos, and clutched at the heart in the plea the man was making … I think I was supposed to be writing prose, rather than poetry, and I’m not sure which country’s history this was set in, but I do have a strong memory that it was somewhere in Europe that began with a ‘C’, and it might have been Carthage … I’m not sure.

I’m was more interested in writing poetry, than studying history, and this was a way I could do both of them at the same time, but the ‘writing poetry’ bit is the part that has stayed with me into my life, after stepping away for a time after school, and then stepping back in, when I needed it, to help me get through post natal depression …

And now of course, eight books later, I’m a writer, and while not earning a living with my writing, at least making a little money from it. I sell books, sometimes, and I receive royalties, and both PLR and ELR payments. Not huge amounts of money, but nice little payments any way. As someone I’ve met recently said, not a poet for the money, but for the fame!

And yes, I’m a famous poet, to some extent, for sure. I have several poetry collections to my name, plus other books in prose. I’m also the editor of the popular newsletter “Mallala Crossroad Chronicle”, as well as the president of the Adelaide Plains Poets writing group, that meets every Thursday (Online only at the moment, but at the Prince Albert Hotel in Gawler, usually). So yes, words are my thing, poetry and prose.

And now I’m doing something new, that will bring another book to add to my current list of books published. This book will be “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing in Response to Covid-19” will be an anthology containing the words of many others. and I’m currently asking people to send me poetry and prose, for consideration of possible inclusion in this anthology, which I feel will be an excellent book, with a broad range of responses from a broad range of people, from a broad range of places.

There will be some silly things, some serious things, poetry in various styles, and prose, both fiction and non fiction. These will be considered responses in prose, heartfelt poems, song lyrics about silly things, and quirky words about this strange time. Collecting together all of these words feels like a further extension of my lifelong love of words, and my life as a poet and writer, a wordsmith.

I hope many more people will join in, and help me put out stories about how ordinary people have managed to get through this Covid-19 time, when we are having to stay away from the things we love, in most unusual ways.

So feel free to submit your words for consideration for publication in this worthy anthology: send via email (kittycordo@gmail.com with the subject ‘Plague Invasion submission’), up to three poems of thirty lines, and/or three pieces of prose of up to 2,000 words in total.

I look forward to reading your submission for consideration.

inspiration

Feedback and Ideas Requested

carolyncordon

I’m a teensy bit excited about this project I’m currently working on to be honest, and I hope lots of others will be excited about it too. The range of works that can go in an anthology, means that both serious things, and silly things can go in there. Could I or should I use an image like the one below, as the front cover of this anthology? (Comments welcome on this question)

An anthology is: A published collection of poems or other pieces of writing. (https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095416186)

So poems, fiction, non fiction, stories, articles, songs, all and any of these can make their way into an anthology. And the works that get published in the anthology I’m working on can be deadly serious, or ridiculously funny, sensible or silly. It will depend on what is submitted for possible publication, and what meets the needs of the editor (Carolyn Cordon).

The editor has been thinking about this, quite a lot these past few days, since the “Plague Invasion” Anthology began to become a possible reality. Thoughts and ideas have flown in, and out, been tweaked and twitched, and at the moment, these are relevant details for those interested in submitting work for this anthology.

**************************************

Plague Invasion Anthology

Up to three poems, or 1,500 words prose, fiction or non fiction.
For prose, up to three pieces, up to that 1,500 limit as above.
All accepted writers can buy one copy of Plague Invasion at cost price * this point may be changed to ‘All accepted writers will receive on copy of Plague Invasion for free (plus p&h)’
Further copies for accepted writers will be available at half retail price.
All prices are plus p&h.
If I end up going mad, or broke doing this, it was probably still worth it.

That final point was a bit of silliness, I am feeling confident that I can do this, and my sanity will remain intact, as much as it ever is … Haha, humour in times of challenges is a fine thing, if we can find things to laugh about, life seems to flow better, much, much better.

Did someone mention toilet paper?

White Gold in Pandemic Times

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I would really appreciate knowing what you think about any of this, Good, bad or indifferent, I need the feedback to keep going, and going in the best directions, thank you!

writing prompts

Second Weekly Writing Prompt for March

carolyncordon

So after my Fabulous February month, of a brand new writing prompt every single day, things have calmed down a bit, and I can rest some more. Unfortunately though, as I am resting, other people are resting too, and the numbers of visitors to this blog have also calmed down and not in a wanted way.

I want lots of people to come along to my writer site, to show off what I’ve done, and what I can and will do! So if you come here, take a look around, check out what I’ve written before, maybe take on some of the writing prompts from the previous month, after all, there were 29 of them there for the taking!

And if you like what you see here, or think something else might be interesting, tell me! I will respond to whatever you might write, in an intelligent and friendly way. Unless I think what you’ve written is spam in which case I will delete it. I’m not friendly to mindless spam.

So, March … there is a new writing prompt today, and that prompt is this –

Unfamiliar places

So write about places that are unfamiliar to you, that you may like to explore perhaps, or write about places very familiar to you, but unknown to many others. Write about weird and wonderful places from yesteryear, from science fiction – books, TV, film, just write!

What unfamiliar place has this fellow been to?
Photo by Lenin Estrada on Pexel
I’ve certainly never been there, nor would I want to be, I don’t think!
Photo by Suliman Sallehi on Pexels.com

So there are two ideas about unfamiliar places, but others might be homes that you would never live in – up in a tree, or down in an ant’s nest …

Oh, up a tree, how cool would that be? Unfamiliar to me in my adult years, but I’ve been up a few trees as a kid, for sure!
Photo by Jozef Fehu00e9r on Pexels.com
You can’t actually see them in this photo, but there are ants there. The round holes are entries to the ant nest.
my photo

So there are a few ideas, and here are some more ways to consider the writing prompt. I’ve never been to Darwin, but my husband has been, and he’s never been to Alice Springs, but I have been. I’ve never been to a sauna, or to a church during a normal service, only for weddings or funerals. I’ve been to Beijing and walked on the Great Wall of China, as well as walking around Tiananmen Square, that felt like very unfamiliar territory to us Westerners, for sure.

Writing prompts are only prompt ideas and thoughts, you don’t have to slavishly follow what the prompts are, the brain likes to wander off along quite different paths at times, and that is fine. It’s all a part of the creative process, to consider as many different options as you have time for. If creative writing isn’t like that, if it is constrained by many rules and boundaries, then it stops being creative, doesn’t it?

Now that’s possibly a thought for another blog post! I’ve been looking at and writing about creative writing earlier today, and was enjoying the process very much. Thinking about writing creatively. Is it a worthwhile thing, or is it yet another way to procrastinate instead of write, I wonder … I suppose it depends on whether or not the thinking actually leads to words being written, and put ‘out there’, which surely is the main role of a writer, in whatever kind of writing they do.

Writing kept only in a notebook, and never shared in any way, or leading to things that can be shared, hmm, that’s not very useful. No-one ever sold a scribble in a notebook, unless they have lots and lots of actual books written and sold!

So the prompt for this week is Unfamiliar Places, and there will be another writing prompt next week, out on the Monday, and my plan is to go on with that for the rest of the year, a new prompt every Monday morning. Unless, of course, something happens to stop it happening …


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