How Do You Keep Creative Writing Alive In The Time Of Coronavirus?

Writing is a solitary profession and writers are labeled as folks who like to live inside their own creative cocoon that they step out off on rare occasions. But I’d like to clarify two things:

Not all writers are introverts. Many of us thrive on the energy of the people around us. We are conversation starters, people-person, gregarious, friendly, life-of-the-party, and bubbly. Once in a while, we might like our peace and “me-time.” But, for the most part, we love being amidst people. That’s how we feel charged and inspired. Sure, we keep our writing time as solitary because there is no easy way to connect to your inner voice if there is distracting noise outside. But other than that, we like to surround ourselves with invigorating words and company.

Making a choice to limit your social interactions, putting your under self-quarantine to finish deadlines, and working from home in your pajamas is one thing; being unable to step out of the house and see people because of a community-wide threat caused by coronavirus is a whole another ball game.

When the first wave of “work-from-home” rumors began and people started to wear masks in the New York subways, I knew it was time to pull out my yoga clothes and pack up dresses because remote working was unavoidable for the foreseen future. I pulled out my Type-A, New Yorker deadline cards for new articles to pitch and write and also came up with a timeline for my new book. I figured after finishing my day job, I would easily go for a walk or run or practice yoga at home in the evenings, cook a hearty dinner for the family, and then work on my writing projects.

I mean, I typically wake up at crack-of-dawn to write before I leave for work. I also write in the subway—on my way to work and on the way back. On some days, I replace writing time with reading. Now with the long commute out of the picture, I figured I had a few extra hours on a daily basis. Time to get those productivity fingers going at full speed!! I could easily finish the book by March end. WRONG!

Social distancing is imperative at this point to keep ourselves and the world safe. I like to think of myself as a socially conscious and responsible human being.

So, even before the government made it mandatory, I canceled our social plans and the workshops I was scheduled to teach. I didn’t want to endanger anyone’s safety. That’s the only way to flatten the curve and stop the spread of the disease.

But can we pause for a minute and acknowledge the loneliness and overwhelm self-isolation creates for many of us? I love being able to chat up friends, family, and colleagues on video calls on a daily basis these days, but can we overlook the power of sharing meals, smiles, and ideas in person?

With remote working and families being at home, the list of chores, number of meals, frequency of grocery shopping as well as cleaning has all gone up. I would like to reiterate that I am not complaining, just acknowledging that our world and life as we knew it has changed overnight. And that might have impacted our creative process.

There is so much uncertainty and anxiousness surrounding us. I wrote an award-winning collection of poems, “Saris and a Single Malt,”about my mother inside of a week—from the time we got the news of her hospitalization to the time we cremated her and returned home to NYC.

But creating from a place of grief and brokenness is very different from writing from a place of fear and anxiety. When the world is worried about toilet paper, groceries, and basic survival…it’s hard to dive deep into the crevasses of creativity. How do I create a fictitious world in my novel when the real world around me is falling apart?

Despite my daily yoga and wellness practices, I don’t feel as centered. It’s hard to feel OK in these times, no matter what you tell yourself. My writing space is the same as the place from where I do my day job or take client video calls. With no separation between my day-to-day and creative life, and no solutions available in the next few weeks (maybe months?) until the pandemic settles down, I decided to reroute my thinking and work from a place of acceptance. Accept that these are unusual times, and I don’t want my creativity to feel the pressure of Pavlov’s dog experiment—when I show up to the computer, words must pour.

I decided to pause. Take each day as it comes. Observe the words that want to be written but not judge them. Pay attention to the stories I want to tell versus the ones I think should be told. On my solitary long walks, I started to tune into what my heart and gut were indicating. The minute I took off the self-imposed pressure, I realized that I wanted to write essays on wellness.

Because what the world needs right now is a lot of compassion, accurate information, and tips on how to take better care of us—be it physically, emotionally, and mentally. I have had people ask me about Ayurvedic lifestyle and cooking tips to help boost their immunity and keep their mental health nourished.

The more essays and articles I am called to write on the role of wellness, productivity, and creativity—specifically in the time of coronavirus—the more my creative juices flow with ease. As if they know this is what they need to create at this point. Little did I realize that I had started off with a rigid deadline for a novel but ended up with opening up an old project only because I decided to let go and stopped to manipulate the direction of my creativity.

Writing life in the time of self-quarantine and social distancing can feel unexpectedly dry, different, and disappointing at times. If I may suggest, use this time to pause, ponder, and find your purpose as a creative professional instead of pressuring yourself to be a productivity machine churning out pages. The new book won’t go anywhere…this might be the time to figure out your authentic voice and consider if it’s time to innovate or branch out as a writer.

“It doesn’t have to be amazing, it just has to be authentic.” Elizabeth Gilbert

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 Sweta Srivastava Vikram (www.swetavikram.com), featured by Asian Fusion as “one of the most influential Asians of our time,” is a mindset & Ayurveda coach, international speaker, and best-selling author of 12 books, including, Louisiana Catch. She is a five-times Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The New York Times, amongst other publications, across nine countries on three continents. As a trusted source on health and wellness, most recently appearing on NBC and Radio Lifeforce, Sweta has dedicated her career to writing about and teaching a more holistic approach to creativity, productivity, and wellness.

Born in India, Sweta spent her formative years between the Indian Himalayas, North Africa, and the United States collecting and sharing stories. Winner of the “Voices of the Year Award,” (past recipients have been Chelsea Clinton and founders of the #MeToo movement) in her spare time, Sweta uses yoga to empower female survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. A graduate of Columbia University, she lives in New York City with her husband and works with clients globally. Find her on: Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Sweta Vikram 

Mindset + Wellness Coach | Global Speaker | Best-selling Author

Winner of Voices of the Year Award

www.swetavikram.com | sweta@swetavikram.com

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Order my latest book: Louisiana Catch

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing