How can you write during a pandemic like this?
I’ve found it difficult to write during this pandemic so I know many of you will suffer from a similar lack of motivation. So I thought today, before the Easter holidays, which most of us will spend in lockdown, I’d round up the best advice for writers at an unprecedented time like this.
Robert McKee of McKee Seminars
Rober Mckee, the Hollywood scriptwriting guru and author of Story, says:
“This will pass. We've been through such things before; there have been plagues, the Spanish flu, and more.
The important thing is that in time, this will pass. In the meantime, we will discover who the good people are, and which people are evil. People who we thought were selfish and venal might turn out to be heroic and self-sacrificing. People who we thought were loving and selfless might turn out to be greedy.
Either way, we will find out who people really are by the way they act in the face of adversity. As a writer, you must pay attention.
A lot of veils will be lifted, from social institutions such as governments, churches and corporations, to the people you may know in your everyday lives. The truth of who they are will be revealed.
We can either close our eyes and ears, and wait for this to pass, or we can see it for what it is: the world under enormous pressure, exposing human beings for better or worse.
This is an opportunity for research. So, take notes.
That's my best advice. Take notes.”
Joanna Penn of The Creative Penn
On her podcast to Patreon members, Joanna Penn was asked the question, ‘When the world seems crazier than any novel, how can you keep writing?’
I loved Joanna’s reply because in it she admitted that she too was suffering from the same feeling of ‘Who cares if I finish the next book or not?'
Here’s a loosely summarized transcript of what Joanna said in her podcast:
“This is an unusual situation. It’s not just you feeling distracted. There is a lot of noise around with the constant news broadcasts, so it’s understandable that many of us – me included – find it hard to write fiction. It’s much easier to create when you have a normal routine.
Everyone needs fiction at a time like this, but it’s difficult to write it. If this situation carries on for a long time, try to figure out a new ‘normal’ for your writing routine. Perhaps you can, for example, use voice to text software instead, write nonfiction or just read more.
But for now, just give in to the feeling of being out of kilter, acknowledge that the situation isn’t normal, and look after yourself. “
Jane Friedman
The historical novelist, Susan Cokal, wrote on Jane Friedman’s Blog that instead of setting a goal during a period of quarantine, try a writing dare instead.
“Who can get anything done in a pandemic? It’s hard to look at that kind of free time as a blessing. But you’ve resolved to try … and it isn’t coming.
What you need isn’t actually a goal, it’s a challenge. A dare, if you will. Aim for a little more than you think you can accomplish.
Try telling yourself that you’re going to write 50 pages. That’s a less reasonable goal, but it’s a good dare. It feels just a bit out of reach, yet not too far beyond what you know you can do.
If you end up with 50 pages you like, wonderful, and you will be very proud of yourself. Even if you don’t quite make it, you can still be proud, because you’ve done good work and almost conquered an ambitious challenge. You came a long way. “
Updated version of Write Your Story
I am also suffering from a sudden lack of motivation to write fiction, so I’m taking Joanna’s advice and turning to nonfiction instead. I’ve been wanting to update Write Your Story: Turn Your Life Into Fiction In 10 Easy Steps for some time so I am really glad that it's done now.
If you are interested in turning your life story (or that of someone close to you) into fiction, this book tells you in ten steps how to go about it. I cover research, plot, timeline, characters, editing, how to avoid upsetting 'real people' who appear in the story, and how to get inspired to write. Plus much, much more, including examples from my own books.
Write Your Story is available from all the usual eBook stores as well as in paperback from Amazon.
I hope you are keeping safe and well. If you are falling behind in your writing goals, take comfort from the fact that many, many of your fellow authors are experiencing the same. Take time out, read more and look after yourself.
I hope you have a restful Easter!
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