So what did I do following that assessment? I re-read the report. Some days later that is, when I was more open to the suggestions given. Truth be told, not all of it was as terrible as first thought. There were constructive comments I could work with.
So this is what I did. I sat back at my desk and brainstormed ideas. Very teacher-ish I know but it works. Out of that I came up with a purpose for a storyline. I wanted to keep the Atlantis myth and the idea of the characters travelling, meeting cultures and interacting with people in the Ancient world, in particular Ancient Greece. They tell to write what you know. That is exactly what I did and am doing.
Ancient Greece has always fascinated me, despite my Italian heritage. The family is from Southern Italy where the Ancient Greeks settled in the 8th century BC. There must be some connection. I also read and still do, Greek Mythology. For me, learning about their culture and how they would live, governed by the lessons in the legendary tales, provided a nexus and richness needed to be a good storyteller. (I borrowed term ‘storyteller’ from Anna Jacobs in a workshop I attended last year.)
Keeping in mind what I wanted to write, I then delved into the world of Homer and read The Iliad and The Odyssey. I have to admit I was totally besotted and knew without a doubt these are the type of stories I wanted to tell. We live a world rich with mythology and yet it saddens me we don’t embrace them enough. Their stories are still valid today.
My journey has only just begun.
Luciana Cavallaro 