As we all continue to work our way through these challenging times, we can take solace from the fact that, as writers, every experience we have can be fuel for our creativity and help us along our writing journey. As I think about where we all are, I see four goals that we can fruitfully work toward right now:
Staying strong: First and foremost, we can help ourselves, our families, and others around us stay strong and healthy. Writing takes physical and emotional energy and safeguarding them both is part of our commitment to being writers. So we can follow the three W’s: Wash our hands, Wear masks, and Watch our distance.
Improving our craft: This is surely an ongoing and never-ending quest for anyone pursuing the writer’s life. There are so many paths open to us on this front: writing every day, taking webinars, reading helpful guides, finding mentors — current or from the past — who can inspire and encourage us to reach for the best that we have within us.
Building our tribe: This is admittedly a challenge given sheltering at home and the limited exposure that many of us are still opting for. However, we can find ways to stay connected with friends and writing buddies through emails and Zoom sessions. I’ve also been picking up my phone and calling friends for catch-up chats — very restorative!
Increasing our knowledge: Write now! This mantra has helped me tremendously. I’ve also found that these days of uncertainty are a great time to dive into areas that I want to know more about and get up to speed on. Getting lost in targeted research — learning about something I want to explore in my writing — can be fruitful, fun, and soothing.
Sharing what we’ve learned: As we continue on our writing path and especially in these trying times, reaching out and giving someone else a helping hand can help us, too. Sending our fellow writers leads or an article or links to support them is just a wonderful way to feel connected and of service.
Trying times remind us just how important it is to stay strong, stay focused, and stay connected as we all write on!
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