Many parts of the world are drowning in crap coming at them all at once, so there’s not much writing advice I could give out for all those different situations. For me, what works is remembering why I love writing. During times of loneliness, writing was always an available escape. What I couldn’t see in the world around me, I could see in books. I wanted gay marriage to be as normal as the sun coming out, so that’s how I’ve written it. In my worlds, illness can be easily defeated in most lands because teachers and healers are deemed to be just as important. Education isn’t looked down upon so if there’s an outbreak, people heed the warnings.

If there’s a tv show or movie that didn’t end the way I liked or had so many missed opportunities because certain countries must not put gay happy characters on screens to protect our delicate sensibilities, I can rewrite those stories into something I love. I’m very thankful for this ability, and honestly, it’s kinda the only thing I’m good at. That’s why during this pandemic, I will not let that gift be taken from me.

If I am happy, grieving, or sick, I will write. It’s what I’ve done before and will do again. This isn’t a solution for everyone. If you can’t write, that’s okay. What’s happening around us is huge. If you’re unable to wrap your minds around the horror of it all or what the world will look like in the future, that’s okay. There are so many changes on a daily basis that it’s hard to really grab hold of anything solid right now.

In our new habit of social distancing, we are six feet apart, but we share the fear, the uncertainty, and grief of the normal lives or maybe even dreams we have lost. For whatever you can accomplish, please don’t feel guilt over it. You’re not some sort of insensitive monster if you can still write, draw, sing, etc. For whatever reason, your brain is wired to still go on, and that’s okay too.

Well, that’s all the wisdom I have to dole out today which is essentially, everything sucks so go easy on yourself.