All My New (Potential) Book Projects:

Wednesday is about books, writing, reading, etc. Today, I’m thinking about what my new book-project might be…

I had two very cool writing projects come to fruition in 2024 — arriving in published form. Firstly, I wrote all the copy for a set of commemorative Split Enz stamps:

This was a commissioned project, delivered in 2023, but released into the world in 2024. I got to write an essay about one of my all-time favourite bands, and their enduring music, and little précis stories about the band that could (almost literally) fit on the back of a postage stamp. I love that sort of writing challenge. I was very proud of this work — it was super fun to do, and I was just chuffed that I was asked.

Secondly, and I’ve talked about this a lot — but I released my third book, The Richard Poems, a focused little daylight horror novella told though a poetry sequence. I’m immensely proud of this, my best book so far. There’s plenty more promotion to work on for this, into next year of course…but also the book is done. Delivered. Finished.

So what next?

Well, it’s that time of the year where, if you’re like me and you love giving yourself “homework”, you find yourself a bit at a loss when the special interest projects and side-quests are all done for the year.

I’m experimenting with form in poetry again, and trying to find the new direction. I have a few options. I’m also thinking about the next book-project. Doesn’t need to reach publication, but just to have something to be working on is good for me. So I’ll take the summer to mull, to chill, to engage still in some writing of course — because I don’t like to stop for too long or the muscle cramps, and the old can of CRC is required. But yeah, it’s a case of watch this space. So I thought I’d list out the possible projects I’m considering. Let me know if any of these interest you, or if you have any thoughts.

In no particular order, this is what’s on my mind:

1. Cold Sweat Music — an anthology of ideas basically, stories, essays, poems, etc, in response to this idea of “Cold Sweat Music”, a line from The Richard Poems, aligned in that book with the music of Pink Floyd. I’d like to explore that umbrella term through various writings and stitch them all together.

2. Unnamed New Poetry Volume, but essentially something about New Music Journalism — readers here will know that I’ve been writing a lot of poems about music (for years, not just lately). But the last few months has seen a new form arrive where I’m in direct response to songs or albums as I listen to them. I wonder if there’s a volume there that offers a counter to my first book of poems, The Death of Music Journalism, still a comment on the death of the form, but a suggestion of a new way in arriving.

3. Unnamed book of Prose Poetry — a small handful of The Richard Poems and a couple of the pieces in The Death of Music Journalism were written out in prose. I’m obsessed with the very short stories of Lydia Davis, and prose poetry in general. And I can feel my work drifting towards this. I wonder if I should convert some old poems to prose-poetry, which I have done from time to time already, but do more and with a focus, and of course write fresh, new material in that form and for that format.

4. My Long Gestating Phil Judd Biography — obviously that’s not the title. I have about 15 hours of interviews on tape, sitting, waiting. I have podcasts and interviews with many of the other players, and I have a concept; well did. Next year is the 50th Anniversary of Mental Notes, so that’s sitting in my mind as a reason to revisit this project which never quite got off the ground but always had the very best of intentions. Maybe a pivot to 33 1/3 and writing specifically about the making of Mental Notes, then?

5. A Collection of Music Reviews and Interviews — not really keen on this at all, but listing it before it gets asked in the comments. From time to time this comes up — and I get it. And I’m flattered anyone might think they’d want this from me. But hey, Become a paid subscriber here and you have full access to over 11,000 pieces I’ve written across the years.

6. A book about Fleetwood Mac — not even joking, this has been a dream of mine (remaining a rumour for some time still I’m sure) but why can’t I write about Fleetwood Mac, eh? I bloody love them. All aspects, all versions, the music, the drama, the works.

7. I’ve still got a year of Honours to complete — meaning a giant research project, so that might take the form of an appreciation and analysis of our greatest short story writer, Owen Marshall. Or it might be something about Joni Mitchell, building on an earlier essay I wrote. Or it might be something else entirely, and so maybe that’ll be the main writing project for the year in the end.

Anyway, that’s enough outsourcing of my to-do list; actually just placing this here to date-stamp it for myself, and give me a place to come back to and ponder.

But yeah, that’s my current thinking a bout book-project writing. You got any thoughts on where I should go with any of these? Or got any projects you’re working on or planning for next year?