Writing During Quarantine: Focus, and Create Bravely

How do we focus on writing during quarantine? My inbox is inundated with COVID-19 statements. I’m moved to tears daily by the acts of kindness I see in my community and across the country. And as almost all of us adjust to being home full-time, I see the writers I know despair with the same complaints: with everything going on, they’re finding it impossible to focus on their work and create anything.

Writing during quarantine: Tune out the noise, hone your focus, and create bravely.

I’ve fallen victim to the same mindset. If I open my laptop, I feel like first I should check the news sites. What’s trending on Twitter? Have there been any major changes? Is it spreading faster or slowing down? All of this leads to increased anxiety. What I’ve learned is there is nothing concrete in the news. Amid so much speculation, how do we siphon out what we really need to know? And how do we block it all out so we can go about our days, get along with our families, and actually use our time productively?

Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. There are no real experts on how to handle staying home for weeks and social distancing.

I hear so much noise, I’ve come to appreciate the emails or sound bytes that cut through, and recognize that none of us have had to contend with these circumstances before. And like everything in our normal lives, we’re all going to handle things differently. If you’re constantly listening to the news or on social media, you’re going to get conflicting information. Take a minute to shut it down, and think about what makes the most sense for you.

2. Daily goals and schedules help if you avoid obsessing over them.

This is something I actually have a little experience with. When my older son was ten he broke his arm in two places. They’d hoped to avoid surgery, but the day he went back to school a girl in his class grabbed the broken arm and raised it above his head. Excruciating. His doctor said no school until he was fully recovered from surgery, where they had to put a plate in to keep the bone in place. At first I was super optimistic and put together a homeschool curriculum and schedule. It lasted four days. He spent the next five weeks knocking things out on his time, mastering Scratch, and playing video games. We survived.

Now, when I wake up in the morning, I try to set three goals: something to get done for work, something to accomplish around the house, and something fun or constructive to do with my family. I’ve seen people posting about schedules they’re making, trying to organize their days and their families’ time. I’ve also seen these same people give up after a few days and feel guilty. Don’t feel guilty. Find a schedule or a plan that works for you. It will take trial and error. If you and your family need routine, pay attention to what works, and then establish that. If you’re contending with teens, try giving them goals to accomplish before allowing screen time. For us that means my sons have to do several things before turning to gaming. This includes cleaning the kitchen. And—as much as I hate the screen time—it’s important to them because it’s how they socialize, and it keeps a modicum of normalcy in their lives.

3. To focus on writing during quarantine, Try starting your day quietly.

 The first several days of quarantine/social distancing I was checking the news almost obsessively as soon as I poured my coffee, and it would suck up a good part of my morning. Then I realized little will have changed from when I obsessively checked before going to bed. If you have flexibility in your schedule—you don’t have to get on conference calls, the work you need to do can be accomplished piecemeal throughout the day—try giving yourself some time to read a novel or other work in the genre you write. Kind of like easing yourself to sleep at night by reading, but now you’re easing yourself into the day. Being captivated by another world can ease the burden of worrying about things beyond our control.

4. Put your anxiety on hold.

Easier said than done, I know. I’ve heard many people complaining about insomnia since this quarantine life began. At night thoughts come unbidden, and finding a rational way to stop them is hard. During the day, though, you can make a conscious decision to quiet your mind and tune out the world, even if it’s only for fifteen minutes. To cut through the noise, close your laptop, set your phone to Do Not Disturb, and pick up a notebook and pen. Write your ideas freehand for a bit, and when you get into a solid groove, consider moving back to the laptop. If writing freehand stymies you, try listening to a craft-related podcast. There are so many out there, and almost none of them mention COVID-19. I particularly enjoyed this recent Good Story podcast interview with Jake Burt, discussing the importance of writing authentically and accurately portraying the world around us. It made me consider elements of my WIP and how to better address the function of some characters. And if your surroundings are starting to wear on you, try creating a coffee shop feel in your space. Brew yourself a beverage, put on a coffeehouse playlist, and channel your favorite writing escape place.

5. Write intentionally. Create bravely.

All creating takes risk. You have an idea, you put it on paper, and then it’s out there for others to critique. We all have negative barriers that keep us from the urge to write, and when we’re stressed it’s particularly easy to give in to all of the fears and walk away. Or, in these times, to stay in bed with pillows over our faces.

What is the project you’ve been working on? Can you summarize it in a sentence? What does it need most? Instead of focusing on finishing a draft or revision, back up and take a big picture look. Do your secondary characters have definable arcs? Do your scenes build one to the next? Working on specifics like this will help hone your focus, and from there you can build new ideas. If you’re stuck, consider fleshing out an outline (read more about that here) or use this Good Story novel template to help build your foundation.

When you write intentionally, your voice (that thing editors have a hard time defining) will be stronger. Your meaning (eventually) will become clearer. And your characters will seem real. Now, tune out the noise surrounding you. Listen to the voice within, and create that work you’ve been dreaming of. The world outside may be changing, but that voice, that desire to create something to share with others, that story that’s been trying to get out, is still there. Listen to it. The world will still be there in a few hours. Keep writing.