In the bizarre age of COVID-19, trying to find what I would consider being a new normal is paramount. I have been blessed with a day job that pays. I have to eat, pay bills and help my family, right? But somehow, writing has fallen off to the back burner along with cleaning, cooking, and lack of sleep. I know, I know. There are far more important things afoot than escaping to another world where those chatty people in my head live. Do I ever wish for the days where I can simply check out of reality for a little while and dwell in their lives instead of focusing on mine! These days, if I check out, I feel as if I might check out for good right into a casket.
The world has turned bleak in our fear and colder than I've ever known in my lifetime. Nothing ever stays the same, though, and history has a habit of revisiting themes. I know all this, yet I know that not writing is like I have tapped out of a part of myself that I really like. Writing has always been my outlet for brooding thoughts or feelings that take me down paths less traveled.
Everyone has to have personal time, and writing for me is that "me" time. Not doing it leads to burn out. Suddenly though, I have no time or energy for it. The fact that my favorite of all websites for BookSilk for creating new content and reading some of my favorite writers around, is on the fritz. I have no idea what the hell is going on there, but like everything else, it worries me how quickly things may change.
So, I'm finding other avenues of expression and make some headway there. I feel productive and even wrote some of a new chapter for the latest book I am working on. I know my old friend writing remains with me, but I must be consistent and write when I can. Sure, I tell other folks this, but I need to practice what I preach. Calendar reminders are essential, and while I may not feel like it, I've decided that I will write anyway. Routine, for me, is a must if I intend to finish any project.
At the end of the day, it is the one thing that I can count on to keep me healthy, sane, and balanced. Writing calms me. It excites me. I love and hate it sometimes. The reward of creating something new that I can be proud of, though, outweighs the pain of working through writer's block or even a pandemic that gives me anxiety, as I am sure it does everyone around the globe.
I think it is fitting that my latest book, "Surrender Unto Death," has some of the pandemic written into it. Although I try not to dwell too much on the subject in the story, it only makes sense. Where this story will take me, I do not know. Stepping out of what is comfortable is a good thing. It helps you grow. The story is more of a fantasy with an urban setting in a contemporary world, but it has a darker quality. Just in time for Halloween, one might say.
I am still around, taking one day at a time. Life has me by the coattails and keeps me busy. I do make time to write where I can, and the same goes for reading. For my own peace of mind, I will make more of a concerted effort to post my stories, poems, or chapters to books I'm working on to the various sites like Wattpad, Inkitt, Penana, and Writersky. It's going to be a bit of a learning curve, but I feel good about it. I love meeting new people and engaging with them about writing.
It makes me happy to share my work with others, and I need to continue to do that. During these uncertain times, it is important to remember to take the time to do those things that lift our spirits and boost our mental health. We must look after ourselves the best we can every day and not lose sight of all the important things. These are the things that make life worth living and fighting for.