How to Keep Writing During a Crisis
Looking to forge ahead on a debut kids’ novel, a former magazine editor turns to advice of bestselling authors
As fast as bright Floridian skies turn ominous in August, headlines around the world have shifted from typical to catastrophic. Too many of us — writers, painters, musicians, and even lawyers and accountants —feel overwhelmed if not wholly disillusioned. Who cares? And who will ever care about our stories again? In my case, I’m writing a novel for children ages 8 to 12. It is set in New York City, but still, who cares? Who will buy it, if anyone? Rather than spiral into the snake pit of doubt, I decided to seek out some answers.
My search wasn’t, initially, intentional. After a long day of homeschooling last week, I clicked open my Insight Timer for a guided meditation, a portal I use often to meditate. I usually rely on the same thirteen minute meditation, but on this night something new appeared: a guided reflection by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of City of Girls, Big Magic, and, of course, Eat Pray Love. “Facing Fear with Compassion,” the title read. I clicked play.
“The opposite of fear isn’t courage,” Liz said, encouraging listeners to write to unconditional love. “The opposite of fear is compassion.” Courage may force us to keep going, but compassion smoothes the road. I’ve followed Liz Gilbert for almost twenty years, since she worked as a staff writer at GQ just before I worked at the same magazine as an assistant for her former editor, the then editor-in-chief. Since that time, I’ve admired her advice on creativity and writing. “Write to hear the advice you wished that someone with unconditional love,” she urged listeners.
When I pulled out my blue notebook to write, I didn’t end up writing to love. I wrote what I would write to a friend seeking advice. And you know what ended up on the on my pages? Paraphrased advice from authors I’ve met and worked for or with, or listened to on the podcast “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books” that I listen to almost every day in the car. And what I realized is that crisis or not, all of the advice is still relevant — even amidst unimaginable tumult.
My hope is that these tidbits lift your spirits as much as they’ve lifted mine. Amidst tragedy, we need to boost our creative immunity as much as anything else. Where will my book end up? I’m not exactly sure. But I’ve spent enough time in publishing to know that the journey is often the reward. And in that way, this time is no exception. The silver lining is that we may have a little more time at home to keep going.
1. Don’t Write for Other People
“Write it for yourself, first,” wrote my old boss and mentor Michael Hainey, author of the New York Times bestseller, After Visiting Friends.
2. Writing a Book is Supposed to Feel Impossible
“The feeling of impossibility [that comes with writing a book] is just part of the process. It would be like trying to ride a rollercoaster but never have that freaky feeling as it rises to the top. That’s just part of it!”—Heather Demetrios, author of Little Universes, out this month, Bad Romance and other highly acclaimed novels
“When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth.”Writing, you see, is equal-opportunity magic. It loves us all.” — Kurt Vonnegut
3. Everything Counts
“Not all writing looks like writing,” Lisa wrote in a recent newsletter for Bookflow.pub, a user-friendly alternative to Scrivener. “If, this week, you want to step back and streamline your character motivations, scenes, or themes, please remember that this is writing, too. A little planning and weeding will give your words room to grow.” — Lisa Papademetriou, creator of Bookflow.pub and author of Sixth Grade Glommers, Norks, and Me
4. Continually Blocked? So Is Aaron Sorkin
“Writer’s block is my default position,” screenwriter Aaron Sorkin advises students of his Masterclass. Surprising advice for the creator of movies such as Moneyball, the Social Network, and Steve Jobs, as well as the show the West Wing.
5. Worry About Story Structure
“Don’t think about the sentences, think about the story. Write the story down,” —James Patterson
7. Big Ideas Come From Tiny Places
“Just one little tiny something can spark a whole book.”
— Judy Blume
8. Just Keep Writing…And Get It Done
“Definitely just keep writing. The marketplace has changed so much that there are a lot of opportunities for self-publishing that there weren’t before. There’s a lot of variety in the marketplace in terms of genres that are always looking for more good books. You have to get it done. You can’t just talk about it. Even though I’m in the book world and close to all the publishers and a lot of writers and have a lot of inspiration around me, it took me eighteen years to really sit down and finish a book, but I never gave up on the dream. It took some other things to inspire me to finish a book. I’d say don’t give up. Keep writing. Share your writing too.”—Thacher Wine, For the Love of Books
9. You Don’t Absolutely Have to Write Everyday
“I think a lot of people who are aspiring think that if they don’t write every day or if they look at Instagram and it’s like #AmWriting, they’re supposed to be writing every single day and if they’re not writing — there are all these rules. I go for years without writing. Obviously, don’t follow my example. What I mean is I’ll go for months without writing. Then I write a lot. There is no right or wrong way. It’s just what’s right for you. There’ll be periods where you can’t write. You’re either busy with your family or you’re busy with other work or you’re busy or just can’t. There are other things you can do. You can read. You can keep a journal. You can try to write a script. You can do all sorts of different things even if you’re unable to tap into that writer voice that you want, and also just remembering that nothing is wasted, nothing. -Laura Zigman, Separation Anxiety
10. …But Sitting Down Helps!
“Do you want to do the thing? Sit down and do it. Are you not writing? Keep sitting there. Does it not feel right? Keep sitting there.” — Ann Patchett
