I’m just going to come right out and say it. Whether you think things are being “blown out of proportion” or you’re more than a little stressed out about all the quarantines and panic shopping, one quick scroll through Facebook tells us one thing for sure- it’s HARD to write when things are like this!

I’ve seen a meme come across my timeline a number of times in the past week, something to the effect of “Shakespeare wrote King Leer while quarantined, no pressure.” and, yeah, that’s not the mood I need right about now. If you’re one of the lucky few who’s escaping into their fictional worlds without any problem, know that most of us envy you. For the rest of us, no, you’re not alone.

As writers we have a unique job. Unlike a lot of jobs, it’s not enough to simply show up. We need to be able to get into the right frame of mind to write sweet, sexy, funny, heartwarming, beautiful love stories. That’s a tall order in the best of times, but when it sounds like the world is damn near ending every time you turn on the TV, it’s nearly impossible.

When stress and uncertainty are this high, it makes sense that especially creative, sensitive, high strung people like authors are going to have a difficult time focusing and getting into a creative mindset.

If you’re getting frustrated with yourself, just know you are not alone. Things will get easier, and yes, even return to normal eventually. In the meantime, be gentle with yourself and others and don’t be afraid to indulge in some self care until you’re able to get back on track.