I won't rehash the election. Anybody who follows me on Facebook knows what I think. It's all been said and now it's time to move forward.
Where's the silver lining? I'm working on a multi-volume series about the end of America. A natural disaster causes most of the problems in my first 2 volumes, but the third volume is all about the struggles to form a working government and rebuild. I was able to kill off almost the entire government structure in my first books so I could somewhat start from scratch in the third volume.
I get the feeling I'll have a lot of fodder for that volume in the coming years. Not about the working government part -- I think I'll have insights into what doesn't work, and I can use that in the books to show failures and struggles.
I'm already making notes about the electoral college, voting problems, the fear that citizens feel when a divisive and unpopular candidate takes office. My books will have a "have" and "have-not" feeling in the country, too, and that's central to the overall arc of the series. I figure by the time the next elections roll around, I'll have volume 3 finished and proofed, then I'll go back and re-read/edit all 9 books.
Then it's on to publishing the 3 volume set and starting work on the next series -- the generations after the initial volumes. That's where it's going to get really interesting as I twist the government into the shape I think it should be.
I really enjoy being a writer ... I can craft so many scenarios in my mind. And it gives me a chance to really think through what might or might not work. Like I said -- I think I'll see a lot of the not-working playing out in the coming years. Note-taking, here I come.
J L Wilson
(jayellwilson.com)
9 comments:
Your pain is understandable. Been there, done that. Here's to silver linings. Best of luck with your series.
Brilliant, JL. My favorite science fiction is the instructive kind (Brave New World, 1984 come to mind), in which the author critic is proposing a better way for people to treat each other. So much of this election outcome is science fiction to me...I never saw it coming and if you'd told me this thing could have happened, I would have said, no way. I've never been more wrong. One of our favorite comedians had a teacher who predicted this outcome. Who knew? Here's the link. It will give you a laugh this morning...and maybe some grist for your excellent series.
http://www.vox.com/first-person/2016/11/10/13580582/leslie-knope-donald-trump
Good silver lining, the timing appropriate. I know you'll do a great job on the stories.
Thanks for the link, Rolynn: The newest name for the Orange Buffoon: Dr. Farts! So perfect.
Sounds like a plan, JL!
Calvin's first response was, "Call Kelly. Tell him to find us an apartment in Berlin." We hadn't expected the results either. You've got some great fodder for your books. And, no, we're not moving to Berlin.
Sounds like a really interesting premise for a series. Hoping the next few years doesn't bring too much fodder for the "end of America" scenario...
Don't forget they say 'truth is stranger than fiction.'
What a great way to make lemonade, J.L. I think we're all going to have lots of fodder for our books. Good luck with your story.
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