In isolation because of coronavirus?

Dear clients,

I hope all of you are well, and if not well, getting the help you need. Many of us are now shut in and isolated from normal social outlets, be that down at the pub or in the workplace—even from family. The forecast length of that isolation seems to be getting longer each passing day and could easily be seen as depressing. There is one positive perspective—there’s never likely to be a better time to get that writing project started or progressed or even finished.

Isolation is perfect for writing—alone with your thoughts, you can let your imagination run free. A few tips:

You won’t be able to write 24/7, so find a good time of day to be creative. For many people, it’s early in the morning. The sun is rising earlier now, so you don’t need to be huddled under a lamp.

Sit by a window, but, if the view is distracting, sit facing a wall. Sit wherever you need, but just sit.

Dig out those notes you made before. Read what you already have and get cracking.

Avoid writers’ block: try not to finish a day’s writing at the end of a chapter. That blank page of a new chapter can be very intimidating the following day. Set a time of day to finish and, wherever you are in the book, put your pen down, or close off the computer, even if you’re mid-sentence. That way, the following day you will find it much easier to pick up where you left off.

If working on a computer, remember to save your work frequently (identify the autosave function if you have one, and switch it on). If working with pen and paper, don’t let the dog eat it, or let it fall in the bath or in the fire.

Be inspired. Get creative. Get writing. Be positive. Treat this isolation as a gift.

Editorial.ie, sponsors of TheOpeningLines.com