This month I've had two several month long projects on @Hive come to a conclusion.
The first was over on @scholarandscribe and @writingclub. This was a short story collection, and you can check out the complete list here: Quarter Reads.
The second was on @BlockChainPoets and is a 15 poem cycle that I wrote over the course of last summer - apart from two. You can investigate those in the curated I Will Not Cease From Mental Fight post, here.
I started these projects back in September when I knew I would be moving, and I figured they would fill two days of the week and by the time they were finished I'd be into a routine.
Unfortunately the routine is still some way off. The main issue is health. By the time I have space to write, in the evening generally, the brain is thick with fog and I can't formulate the ideas required.
A knock on effect of the health is the time work in the house is taking. There are still many boxes to be unpacked and places found for items that are being kept.
The final issue is quality. I could push out a 350-500 word post every day. But they would soon become rote, repetitive. They would be filled with navel gazing and recounting personal experiences without any kind of wider application. That's not what I want to write. Especially while I have things I do want to continue working on but which are not necessarily ready to appear.
For example, the cycle of poetry is in the process of being redrafted, and explanatory notes written for each one. The aim is to have it ready to release on kindle by the end of February (anyone interested in being a pre-release reader, please let me know).
I'm also working on two novels, and collection of essays about the USA (one of those has appeared, here).
So, what next?
Well, Friday Poem will continue to happen. Some will be new, some will be prompt responses, some will be from the three decades worth of poems I have written.
Anytime an English Premier League manager is fired I'll write an article about it, as per the six to have gone so far this season. you can read those, here.
If something piques my interest I'll do a 'So Here's The Thing'. you can read my last one here, (and I should curate them).
Other than that it's a case of being as regular as possible. Let's see what occurs.
For this week though, I'm splitting two linked stories over Mon-Fri. you'll be able to read them on @scholarandscribe. The first is entitled Go West, and tells the story of Jeb and Soames. They are Unionist soldiers, reeling from Confederate victory in the US civil war, and working out what steps to take now. The second is called The Trail to Cooper's Farm, and follows on from Go West. Jeannie and Gordon are also fleeing. They meet Jeb and Soames and travel west, as far as Cooper's Farm.
If you like alt-history, steampunk, a smidgeon of the outré, and a slosh of romance, then you'll enjoy reading these.
I look forward to hearing what folks think.
Hi @stuartcturnbull,
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Hey Stuart! Glad you have found wonderful communities and challenges here on Hive. I totally get what you mean by not wanting to write just to write. I find myself curating more than I create. Sometimes inspiration strikes and other times not so much. But curating content to read other's works is a daily occurrence I enjoy.