As a science-fiction writer, an apocalyptic scenario is in the imagination. And I’m sure writers throughout the history who lived through hard times, had evidence of how an apocalyptic scenario would look like.
One of the best examples is the novel 1984 by George Orwell.
But the current pandemic of COVID-19, has set an example for many of us who might survive through it. The deaths we have seen are heart crushing and correctly depicting apocalypse. I wish I could say something more soothing here, but I’m a writer and not a therapist. I can only write about the truth. Death is a life’s ultimate truth.
The whisper of death is spreading. The agony of life is tolerable till some limit. Economy is closed and small businesses are suffering. Most countries have called a lock-down through out the countries, people are in the prisons of their houses. Poor people might die of starvation than the disease itself. This is the perfect setting for a novel. Wish I could say, this was fiction. But no, the reality is harsh. Most countries recumbent politicians are displaying their incompetence in handling the pandemic.
Continue to write
It’s easy to be not motivated enough to write in this kind of environment. This is like the world has stopped, people have stopped living. We are not moving, not traveling. We’re merely pawns in the hands of Government. How do you find that titillating joy to write?
Do not put pressure on yourself. Take it easy. Write few words, few sentences. Remember the time when you wrote that story and the words flowed. The magic of words touch hearts, create connections, bring people together, foster a world of love. Stories are the essence of life. When the emerald of droplets on the leaves shines as spring arrives, the curious mind wanders to observe the world. People are part of our stories and they make or break stories. What do we do in a lock-down situation? We can use digital tools to have a virtual get-together, but it’s not the same.
Will there be a new normal? Will we go back to previous normal? There is no normal anymore. Pandemic will change our social interactions and how we mingle with each other. People who are groaning through this pandemic, needs to be taken care.
The systemic rise of issues and second, third order effects of this pandemic will be devastating. How we grow from this crisis will define us who we are. Yes, the crisis has destroyed lives, but can we also look at the other side? Our doctors, nurses, cops, restaurant owners, deliver people, workers in grocery stores, waste management people have worked relentlessly. We should be thankful to them. We are grateful to every individual who has fought through this.
What can writers do?
Simple. Tell your stories. Writers are story tellers. We tell stories, we connect people, we bring people together. Write that elusive story that you wanted to tell. Stories are the reflection of our society. When people read stories, they find that connection which shows them a light at the end of a tunnel.
It doesn’t matter what kind of story you are writing, it doesn’t matter if anyone is reading your story. What matters is that you write the story. Not today, not tomorrow, but probably in ten years someone will read it. Writing is not rewarding if you are looking for rewards from outside, but it is very calming and rewarding for an individual from internal point of view.
Stories have power to change the world, they can alleviate the pain. They can change moods, they can bring the regime downs, they can transform the people for better. So write.
I don’t know what I will do if I wasn’t writing stories.