Writing is hard. It takes creativity, commitment, perseverance, and a lot of luck. And that’s on a good day.
Not every day is a good day—Chaos Rules
In fact, many days seem designed specifically to derail us as writers. There are the days when the kids are sick, or we are, or weeks of family vacations, or in-law visits. Let’s not forget the days when we stare at a blank page and nothing comes. Yep, writer’s block. It’s the worse.
But the pandemic taught most authors that we had yet to come face to face with the worst anti-writing force that life could throw at us. A sustained world on fire like the one presented by Covid, or the news-cycles since it would seem with the ups and downs of politics, markets, weather and literal fires burning miles of Australia, Hawaii or California, created a situation where authors had to find a way to write or pack it in.
I wasn’t going to pack it in, and I am surrounded by authors who refused to throw in the towel either. How did we do it?
Remember Your Why Despite the Chaos
When the world goes crazy the first thing that grinds me to a halt is second-guessing myself. I mean, how important is it to create romance novels when people are sick or dying, when businesses are closing, and friends are out of work? I didn’t have this problem when the pandemic started, I had it long before from the first page of my first novel, Bedazzled.
Until I got in touch with my why. I write romance novels, not mysteries, or fantasy, or thrillers. I made that choice because I love romances—romance movies from the classics to this Saturday night’s Hallmark movie and romance novels—from the raciest dark romance to a sweet small-town romance. I even grew up reading romance comics. I can’t get enough happy endings, and I know there are a lot of people out there like me.
I believe in romance novels. I don’t think they are simply escapist, although they can be. I think they bring positivity into our lives, and happiness. The loving relationships in our lives are what give us joy, and purpose. They matter. And if real love matters, why not increase the amount of love that surrounds us all? The more uncertain our world, the more we need it.
In fact, I believe there is a perfect romance novel for every man and woman out there, for the most stringent feminist, for the hard-core tough guy, for the mystery lover and the Harry Potter afficionado. Why? Because no matter what genre a reader loves, there is an element of romance in every story.
Remembering that I want to bring that to life in books, share that with readers is my why and when I stay in touch with it, I can write through anything. So, I focus on the love, on the romance, on the happily ever after.
Find Calm Amidst the Chaos
When I asked my wonderful friend, Nancy Houser-Bluhm, author of The Nickel Loop and Whispers for Terra how chaos impacted her ability to write, she shared this with me, in her beautiful, poetic way.
“Those first chapters of a novel are always a challenge; much like starting any new exercise routine. Surrounding conditions amplify the difficulty. Covid blew in on breath droplets during the writing of my debut novel, “Whispers for Terra.” Fear gripped and focus plummeted. I was reminded I could be scared and still write.
Now some years later current conditions have placed me in tupor. I sit in self protection vs action. Guilt rises when writing creatively versus contacting my representatives. The days’ horror plays in my head at night, and dreams reflect a world of confusion and chaos. I remind myself this is exactly when levity, romance, beauty are a vital respite. Please keep sharing your beauty with the world. I need it.”
Nancy points out so many factors about writing during chaos, fear, the inability to focus, guilt—which hit home for me. But she is correct about the beauty being more vital in times like these, for the writer and the reader.
Raine Fraser, author of the soon to be published novel, Where We Come Home experienced many of the same hurdles Nancy encountered.
“Since the pandemic I’ve seen authors struggling with this question. I believe art is even more necessary in dark times and have stuck to that belief. Personally, I’m finding comfort in books, films, etc. with comfy vibes and I expect a lot of readers are, too. There’s solace in writing books aimed at the extraordinary magic of ordinary life and I imagine my books as future gifts for readers who need to rest for a while. (Even when times are calmer, we all need that sometimes.)
I do, however, have one manuscript begun in 2017, which is tucked away for now. Its themes of community and triumph in the midst of difficulties are important, but if I return to it in the near future, it will take a kind of courage I don’t have right now. It’s too close to home.
As we see from both Raine and Nancy, it takes courage to write when the world fights us, and sometimes choosing soothing writing is a great way to fight back.
Create Peace in Your Chaotic Space
In her post Writing Romance When the World is Burning Jo McNally, author of When Sparks Fly, offered several tips that work for her when she writes through chaos, after reminding all of us that a one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t exist.
How was she successful?
“One word at a time.
It was just that simple, and just that hard. Some of it was, without a doubt, the hardest writing I’ve done in my career. My books are contemporary romance with a good deal of humor, heat and emotion. Summoning up humor felt nearly impossible some days. Summoning up emotion felt dangerous, and even more draining than usual. Making forward progress often seemed impossible. I told my husband that writing felt like I was trying to run through quicksand.”
Her solutions? Adjust her approach—avoid doom-scrolling, forcing herself to type, moving around more, changing her writing location. Jo also allowed more time to get started with each writing session and positive self-talk, leading to a more positive mind-set. Every author will tell you that mindset is critical.
Finding a peaceful place, giving yourself more time to be in touch with your creativity, these are common solutions I hear from authors, and of course tuning out the world while you write. Frankly, tuning out the world is sound advice chaotic or not.
Fellow authors, the answer is us. We’re providing hope and happily ever afters to a public who needs it. It’s our superpower. On the days when you just don’t think you can push through, remind yourself that we’re lucky enough to be in the hope business. And that’s pretty cool. Just remember to take care of yourself, too.
Find Your Professionalism during the Chaos
Diana Giovinazzo, author of Antoinette’s Sister, took Jo’s suggestion about finding a positive writing space even further in her post, Tips to Focus When the World Is on Fire
She recommends creating a writing space and protecting it, along with your writing time and her pre-writing routine.
“Don’t be ashamed to put your writing first…Go ahead and read that sentence a few more times. I’ll wait. Ready? Alright. Ask yourself if a professional, any professional, would put off their work hours. Or if they would respond to every non-work-related phone call/text/email. What are their office hours?
Whether or not you’re published yet, you are a writer. Writing is not just an art form—it’s also a business, and it matters to you. Treat it that way. Don’t expect the world to make room for your writing, because it won’t. Whether it’s early in the morning, late at night, or while the kids are at school, find a time that works for you and guard it like a dog with a new bone. Anything that can wait until you’ve met your daily writing goal can wait.”
Find Your Happy within the Chaos
Just as I love to write romance and the world can be burning and I will still make time to write it, finding what brings you joy in your writing can make it much easier to write, with our without a world gone mad.
I love Stacy Gold’s article, Writing Romance While the World Burns Down Around Us because she taps into what makes her happy in her writing and that’s what keeps her going.
Articles abound on how the continued stress of, well, EVERYTHING, is making it hard for people to think or function effectively.
We’re depressed. Or forgetful. Or constantly drained and exhausted. It’s hard to focus because our brains are overloaded with news and information, much of it negative at best, horrifying at worst.
Yet, somehow, I’m able to keep writing and editing my own romances, packed with love and adventure in wild places.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how and why that is possible, and I have a few theories….The outdoors is my happy place and I’m an ardent lifelong environmentalist (I got my degree in Resource Management and Environmental Education). If I can’t be out there, then the next best thing is writing about it. Because when I do, I close my eyes and transport myself back to those very places and spaces.”
Not only does Stacy get to experience her own favorite things, she gets to share them with her readers, and while she’s writing at least, deal only with problems that fit on a page, support strong female gender roles, contain an uplifting love story and end with an HEA.
That sounds like a perfect recipe for joyful writing to me.