So, if you haven’t heard already, this author decided to go to graduate school (ten years after graduating undergrad). Sticking to the brand apparently, I am working on a degree called Political Ecology, which is basically if politics and environmentalism had an activist baby with every other field of academia.
Maybe that wasn’t the best mental image.
Basically, it’s the study of a system of why an environmental problem came to be. It focuses a lot on the power dynamics involved, focusing on who does and doesn’t have a voice, why, and how (there’s a lot of feminist and decolonial approaches). If you can think of a field of academia, it’s probably used in Political Ecology to understand, interrogate, and problematize environmental and human concerns. It’s a highly analytical, complex, and passionate field, with a history of activism—so, it fits me well.
You might be asking at this point: okay, Author R. K. Brainerd, what does this have to do with fantasy novels?
First off, hey! I’m allowed to be a multi-faceted being. It’s not all dragons and kissing and complicated plot-lines. 😛
(And on that note, personally, working in environmentalism is something I’ve wanted to do my entire life. The state of the world as it is, there’s no guarantee that’s where this will lead me, but I hope it does.)
But, and it’s hard to fully explain, I do believe this degree—and experience overall—is going to elevate my writing (probably in ways I’m not even fully aware of yet). There’s the basic argument that rather any kind of experience can be utilized to create story and elevate writing, especially when a different culture is involved. But there’s something else here—maybe the way I’m learning to critique and analyze systems of how the world works, or how to truly research something, or problematizing an issue to fully understand it. I haven’t quite figured out how to say it eloquently.
What I do know is that—as I have said from the beginning of this ol’ blog—my writing is political. I think this degree is going to help hone this. Everything is political when you get down to it, but I’ve always wanted to be intentional with the ways my stories are political. Have I really figured out how to do that? Eh. It’s a work in progress. I get the feeling that the Obsidian Divide series is going to be more on the angsty mental health side, with the more political stories yet to come. I’ve been thinking more on those.
I think, sadly to say, that working on the sequel to Jagged Emerald City may not be possible while I’m in graduate school. I’ve also been participating in societies, activist groups, and learning how to be better at socializing and connecting with people—alongside a ridiculous amount of reading and essay writing. I want to experience this to the fullest, and I’m definitely coming up against the aggravating reality that I’m not capable of doing everything all at once. Not writing makes me feel a little like I’m losing part of my identity, but ya know. Life is all about growth or something.
Honestly not sure exactly how to end this post. I’ve just touched on where I’m at in this moment as far as authoring, but there is so much to talk about beyond that as far as what I’m learning, what’s happening with the United States, and the state of the world. I don’t know where to start or really how to start unpacking everything into something coherent, so I’m probably just going to leave this post here.
Needless to say, there is going to be a lot more coming.
Until then friends, stay safe and do good.
