Remember The Epic? I went on about it for weeks - about how quickly it was growing, how new characters kept introducing themselves, how the story - or rather stories - kept developing themselves. I think I got to something ridiculous like 50,000 words before I put it on the backburner, where, I am ashamed to admit, it has been ever since. In fact, it has been there so long it is a wonder it isn't frazzled! But this morning I reached for the folder again and now I am looking at it as if it may be something akin to Pandora's Box. So, as I write, let me go through the contents. Wish me luck, I am reaching for the folder now ...
Hmm - a red Silvine Exercise Book bearing the title "The TRACKLANDS Project". Lots of notes. A poem - the Tracklands decree that begins If you're mouse, you can't friend cat. If you're cat you will know that. Chiefs are always there to guide, so always serve the Chiefs with pride ... A booklet entitled "Green Croydon - Discover Your Local Wildlife". Two A5 notebooks. One containing 16 chapters and several pages of notes. One containing fifteen chapters and a couple of dozen empty pages. Character names keep jumping out at me - Tamininka, Red, Speck, Elvira, Mono, Raja ...
All this begs the question - Why? Or lots of questions - like why did I start it? Why didn't I finish it? Where was I going with it? And of course What Am I Going To Do With It Now? I started this book on 14th May 2013 (I have nearly always recorded a start date on my work - even something as small as haiku) and I know I was in a creative frenzy with it for at least six months so why I came to a screaming halt I have no idea. Maybe Life just got in the way. Or maybe I was just busy getting My Writer ready for publication - and building the Young Writer group. Whatever the reason now seems as good a time as any to see if I can revive it - breathe life back into it. I know that at least one of the characters has been held in a dark dungeon for almost four years now, so maybe it is time I rescued him? Anyway we shall see...
Slight change of subject, I am doing a talk this afternoon at the Chatterbooks group at Ashburton Library. I was invited to be a guest speaker by the group leader some months ago so one thing I do need to do this morning is come up with a leaflet I can hand out about Addiscombe Young Writers. Chatterbooks is a club for similarly aged children with an interest in books and I am actually quite chuffed I have been asked! I have already devised a work sheet and sent it over so it will be interesting to see if I can tempt anymore AYW members!
What else have I been doing? I am considering trying my hand at Copywriting. This is something I have been thinking about for ages and in fact realised today that I have actually done it previously without even realising I was doing it, so I think it is definitely worth a try. And I am still looking for a part time job that will bring in a regular income. Mostly I am just so happy to be at home. spending quality time with Steve, getting lots of writing done .... It is after all what I was born to do!
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