How to Write When the World is Off Its Axis
Take a breath, step back, and find the joy in writing again.
A lot of our lives have turned upside down within the last few days.
Some of us are in areas with coronavirus outbreaks. Others are simply trying to abide by social distancing guidelines. Schools are shutting down, which means kids are at home. Travel plans have all been halted. And some of us are dealing with the fact that loved ones are sick.
It’s hard enough to write on a good day — how the fuck are you supposed to write on days when you can’t stop thinking about everything that’s happening?
Don’t put undue pressure on yourself
I’m all for powering through stressful times. But every once in awhile, we need to cut ourselves a break.
Take a step back and refocus on the real priorities in your life — namely, the health and safety of you and your loved ones. And when I say health, I don’t just mean your physical well-being, but your mental health, as well.
Even as we all stay inside our homes, try your best to eat well, exercise (you can still go for walks and runs outside), and maintain as much normalcy in your day as possible.
You may be working from home full-time right now, but that doesn’t mean you should just veg out.
Listen to the folks who have this whole work-from-home thing down from experience: change out of pajamas and into real clothes, set goals and deadlines, socialize (even if it’s virtually), and try to set-up a designated workspace.
Take the time to replenish your well
Watch a new TV show. Listen to an entertaining podcast. Read a good book.
When we’re stressed out, it’s hard sometimes to get to the writing. But the process of replenishing your well, of consuming new things so you can form new ideas? That’s all a part of the writing process.
If you’re struggling to put pen to paper, take baby steps, and focus on consuming good material. Step away from the news and instead turn on Netflix.
Yep, you heard me. Sit your ass on the couch and watch a TV show for an hour. Don’t feel bad about it. As far as I’m concerned, it’s productive research. You never know what might spark a new idea, after all.
Find the joy in writing again
For a lot of us, writing is the thing that we used to turn to out of pure pleasure, but it’s now a source of income. This is the dream, but it’s also contributing to all the stress and pressure you feel when you sit down to write — especially in times of financial duress. It feels like every word you write needs to perform exponentially well.
Take the stress off of the writing and write something just for you.
I don’t care if it’s fan fiction, a chapter of your novel, a short story, or a comedy sketch. Just write. Do it for the fun of it, and for the joy you used to feel.
Curl up in your bed with your laptop and write with abandon. Light a fire and pour a glass of wine and write in the living room after the kids go to bed.
Pull out one of the pretty notebooks you have stashed away (I know you have a collection of them) and start writing something new by hand.
Don’t let it feel like work. Make it feel like an adventure. A thrill. The thing you get to do. Not the job you have to do.
Once you find the joy in it again, you’ll slowly be able to make your way back to the work aspect of writing without as much stress. You’ll remember the why of what you’re doing. And believe me, that makes a world of difference.
Final words
Everyone copes in different ways, and right now, coping is what a lot of us are doing. It’s okay not to feel 100%. It’s okay if you’re not keeping up with every perfect routine or producing the world’s next great novel.
That’s not to say slack off for the sake of it. But if you’re struggling, it’s all right just to make it through the day and consider that a win.
We all have to find our way through this uncertain time. It’s just going to be a hell of a lot better if we can find a way to write through it, too. After all, as writers, writing is our saving grace.
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