3 Tips for Writing During Anxious Times

The year 2020 was an abnormal year for certain. Our lives as we knew it before have forever been changed by what is now considered normal – mask-wearing, social distancing, quarantining, job losses, and uncertainty. It has all been so stressful.

As a writer, you might find yourself avoiding writing anything because it’s all too much even though writing is what sustains us in times like these. I want to encourage you to allow yourself to write what makes sense to you and comforts you. Here are a few tips to help you get started and stay focused as we head into 2021.

1. Use a Journal Instead of a Laptop or Other Electronic Device: It is easier to scribble your thoughts and ideas on paper than it is to do so on an electronic device. I find that I talk myself out of writing especially when I have to sit behind a desk or power up a laptop. I have a journal I carry with me wherever I go. It comes in handy for those frequent moments when I get an idea that needs to be jotted down.

2. Recycle Your Old Drafts: It might be time to bring out those old drafts stored as an old file on your computer. Go through them and revamp them or edit them. Who knows, doing so might spark some new ideas for new content.

3. Go for a Walk/Spend Some Time Outdoors: It’s amazing what some fresh air can do for our creative thoughts. I find new ideas in nature, from seeing someone walking in the opposite direction, from a smile, a car zooming by, a bird in a tree, a flower in bloom. Just take a walk outside and see what it inspires.

I hope that whatever you choose to do, however you choose to kickstart your writing journey, that you do it during these uncertain times. I can assure you that you’ll be glad you did.