How to Break Out of the Great Pandemic Writing Slump
Give yourself permission to write about anything but corona.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been having some serious motivation and inspiration issues these days.
Even though I make it a point to largely avoid the news, the state of the world right now is sucking the fight right out of me. In the face of such widespread fear and with everyone being confined to their homes, plus the dreariness of early spring (at least here in the Midwest), writing just seems like a chore.
And, when I do sit down to write, writing about anything other than the current situation seems superfluous, or worse, tactless.
But I don’t think it has to be if we go about it in the right way.
More than ever, I’m craving content that has nothing to do with the pandemic, and I can’t be the only one.
So this is me, with whatever authority I may or may not have, giving you permission to not write about COVID-19. Write about literally anything else. Your goals, your dreams, your dog being weird. Anything. Don’t let this thing limit you to doom and gloom. We don’t need any more of that.
Here are a few ideas to get you going again.
Journal It Out
I recently started using Evernote to do a little journaling in the morning, and I do think it helps to get any noise happening in your brain out on the page. You can also use a physical notebook for this if you think that brain to hand connection will help more, I just like the convenience of a doc online.
I was inspired to do this by OG YouTuber WheezyWaiter’s video about his experience with journaling. I think it’s worth a watch, after you finish reading this article of course.
And it doesn’t have to be long! Even a few sentences is better than keeping it all up inside your head. And if that’s all you write for the day, so be it. Don’t beat yourself up about it; you’re still exercising the muscle and building strength over time.
Why not just do this in a Medium draft? I don’t know, there’s something different about having a separate space for your brain dump. Even if you put it in a draft on Medium and then delete it… it doesn’t feel the same. Plus, I like actually having a running (and in the case with Evernote, searchable) record of my thoughts, just in case something brilliant does happen to plop out in the text. It’s a pretty rare occasion, but you never know.
Plus, in 6 months when we’re hopefully long past this, you can look back and go, “Wow, that was shitty.” And you’ll be extra grateful you can buy toilet paper again.
Use a Disclaimer
If you feel like you need to, put a disclaimer at the beginning of your piece like, “I recognize that everyone is suffering differently due to the spread of Coronavirus right now. This article/blog post/story is meant to be a cheerful/thought-provoking/fun distraction in these difficult times. I hope you enjoy reading; thank you!”
If you need to say something like that to be able to write freely, I don’t think there’s any problem with that. None of us wants to offend anyone with our content, and it’s totally fine to clarify that in an unprecedented situation where so many people are hurting right now. You can always edit it out later when it feels like the right time.
Read
Matilda Fairholm just posted this wonderful article about doing a deep dive into the work of a writer she particularly admires and follows. I think this is a great idea, not only to support fellow writers during this time but also as a source of inspiration.
Getting out of your own head and peering into someone else’s could be a good way to spark ideas, and if nothing else, you’ll have added another pair of eyeballs to their work. Maybe you even write a little (supportive!) review of their work. Send it to them personally; it’ll make their day.
Alternatively, read about a topic you’ve been wanting to get into for a while, but for whatever reason, you haven’t. My interests are always bouncing around, so this happens to me all the time. Intentionally learn about something new, and it might provide that spark to start writing.
Meditate
You’re probably either already doing this, or you’re sick of hearing about it, but even a few minutes of mindful breathing or a body scan can help you be more focused and get something on the page.
If you’re hesitant about picking up meditation, I recommend reading about it first. I’m just finishing up Dan Harris’ 10% Happier, in which he details his discovery and journey with meditation, profiling several prominent meditators along the way. It’s an interesting look into how meditation can help even the most stressed out, scatterbrained and skeptical people if you take it seriously and commit to a consistent practice.
There’s also the 10% Happier podcast, in which Harris regularly interviews all kinds of meditators about their practices.
For getting straight to it, I like the free 10-minute Calm meditations on YouTube. You’ll be surprised at how fast it goes.
A Few Topics You Don’t Have to Pull Out of Thin Air
Lastly, one of the most difficult things I’ve found about writing during this time is just coming up with topics that aren’t related to the Issue, but still feel appropriate.
Here are a few good places to start:
- Write a review of a TV show/movie/podcast you like.
- Imagine the future: where are you going to go when you can go wherever you want?
- Who’s inspiring you right now?
- Think back: Who taught you how to cope with difficult situations, and how did they help?
- Write about something that’s helping you feel grounded/something you can control right now.
- Write about something small that you’re grateful for right now, that you would otherwise take for granted.
Don’t Put Too Much Pressure on Yourself
You don’t have to expect yourself to bring your A-game right now. The world is turned upside down; we’re all grieving the loss of a normal existence. Write what you can, and remember that you’re going to edit later anyway.
Maybe journaling will offer you a way to get any distracting thoughts out onto a page and free up space for productive writing. Maybe a disclaimer will give you mental permission to write about something unrelated to corona.
Maybe reading others’ work or meditation will push the mental roadblocks aside and allow you to focus on a new topic. Just try something, and don’t have any expectations of success or failure. If it works, great! If not, try again later.
Write on, and remember this too shall pass.
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