TRENDS...

Last week daughter and I (and baby boy) ventured to the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. This has been an annual event since daughter was 15...with only a few years missed in all that time. It's a great day out, wet or dry, sunny or windy...and I come away inspired and filled with new ideas.


It's always nice to see what is on 'trend'. This year it was obviously garden rooms...

Hanging baskets of all kinds...


native gardens are still big.


And pampas grass is HUGE. It was not only in gardens but in so many floral arrangements as well.


As I said it is good to see what is on trend, and if you have to have the latest in your garden, then you zoom home and start planting.

But of course, next year something else will be in vogue.


And if you have to be on trend, then your garden will have to change...


and change again and again.

I have never been one for trends. I know what I like, what I don't like, what works on our piece of land, and what is totally pie-in-the-sky dreams. I do come away with ideas though, ideas that will work with what I've got.


Just loving the heuchera! Do believe I need some of that.

But I don't want it because it is trendy just now. I like the plant, I love the colour and texture and I have several places it would be ideal.

It's so much the same with writing. Genres and styles come and go. If you have finally finished your novel and it features a teen girl falling in love with a vampire (who happens to glitter in the sun) then I'm afraid you've missed your chance. Unless your story has so many new and complex layers.

Vampires were so yesterday.

Writing is difficult in this way. It takes so long to write a novel. (and yes we have all read about authors that publish a new book each year)...but for the majority of folks who write when they can, trying to balance the whole work/ family/ life / writing thing. It is so hard to be able to simply focus on the one thing and get it done in a few months. So by the time we have finished our amazing vampire/werewolf/demon/angel love story...they are no longer in vogue.

Publishers have moved on.
Trying to catch on the tails of a trend is difficult. Perhaps if you are a super fast writer, begin when the trend is just starting, and have an editor/publisher friend who is more than willing to help.

Otherwise it is best to simply write the story you want to write. The story you have to tell. Make it the best version you can and believe that others are intrigued, interested and want to read on.

If you love what you do, then surely it's worth it.

Vicki 


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