Why It’s Difficult to Write Right Now
By: Harry Seitz
Tags: Writing Tips From Writers, Writing, Writing Tips, Writers On Medium, Writers Block

Why It’s Difficult to Write Right Now

You need to live in order to write, and most of our lives have been on hold for the last 10 months.

This is why comedians, actors, and musicians tend to become worse once they’re rich and famous. They can no longer relate to everyday life, and this disconnection shows in their craft.

We Still Have a Lot in Common, But We’re Sick of It

Most of us can still understand and relate to each other, as we’re living extremely similar lives. Or half lives. We do what we have to, then rot in our apartments. No movie theaters, bars, or fun of any kind.

So what am I supposed to write about? How every day has been a carbon copy of the last? This was true before the pandemic, but at least there were crazy bums on the commute to break up the monotony, and women without masks to admire and speak with and maybe even hook up with.

There are still dating apps, but even if I made a connection, would we have to wear masks while we went at it? Not that I’d complain — at this point, my mental health would probably benefit from hiring a sex worker — it’s just a bit novel, kind of like COVID-19, and everything seems to keep circling back to that dismal point.

I’m complaining right now and I’m good at it, but I’m still having trouble, because there are only so many times you can vent your frustrations at the exact same thing.

So What Do I Do?

In one word, plagiarism. Or try to keep reading and learning as much as possible.

When I read a good book, I can’t help but be influenced it, both in my thinking and my writing. Now this isn’t technically plagiarism per se, but a potentially healthier form of it.

Fascinating new ideas and experiences should be incorporated into our own. This is how we live and grow, and if we can’t actually go outside and live, reading a book — preferably not about a pandemic, or even set on earth — is the next best thing, or at least a better form of escapism than watching 11 hours of TV a day while I’m working. I used to hate the distracting background conversations at the office, but now that I’m stuck at home, I need them. It’s better than listening to the couple upstairs raging away at each other.

So What Should I Write About?

Some authors claim they’re sick and tired of reading about the pandemic, and I can’t blame them, but what I’m even more sick of is articles about writing. I realize that I’m writing one right now and am aware of the irony, so let’s change the phrasing to bad writing advice.

In an ideal world, I’d take quality over quantity, but if you’ve read enough articles here, that’s definitely not the case.

A few articles are excellently written, with no typos or flubs or grammatical errors. But most of the popular ones are not.

There are authors encouraging us to take more risks, while not actually taking any of their own, and in my experience, this is a bad idea. There are some topics you just shouldn’t write about here, even if the story is fictional or explicitly satirical. Out of the hundreds of thousands of authors competing, why would a publication want to deal with one who’s potentially alienating or difficult?

Each of us is unique and has something to share, so try to write articles that are useful. There is something helpful you know that almost no one else does. It may be a matter of figuring it out, or just working up the nerve to express it, but if you think you can help someone, give it a try.

Conclusion

I’m new here, too, and still trying to figure it out. Personally, I prefer to write fiction, and my fiction is largely informed by my life experiences. So basically, I’m screwed. Woke up, logged in, and ate something, AGAIN.

The best tonic for me has always been reading. The more I read, the more I figure out who I am as a writer. If an idea resonates with me, maybe I can explore it. Or if someone starts a good story and falls flat on their face, I can take the essence of their idea about and possibly fix it.

Lastly and most importantly, keep on writing. It’s impossible to write 1,000 lousy articles in a row (I hope). Eventually, a few will start to hit, and then a few more. There’s no guarantee that you’ll ever be able to support yourself writing, but you definitely can (and will) improve.