Even the introverted writers. You’d think they’d be thrilled with the enforced isolation. Perhaps it’s the modifying adjective “enforced” that makes the difference. I’m an extrovert by nature, and I can’t wait for the day when I can write in a coffeehouse again. But even my introverted friends are struggling with their creative output.

I’ve been able to maintain a reasonably steady pace in writing and editing. It felt harder than usual, but the second and third books in my dystopian Tracker Trilogy were released in 2020, Darkwood will be published a little over a month from now, and the first draft of Treehawke is awaiting its turn on the chopping editing block.

That doesn’t make me an expert in dealing with pandemic-related stress—not claiming otherwise. But here’s a few things I’ve found helpful.

1. Your writing space is your sanctuary.

Set it up in the most pragmatically functional and aesthetically pleasing way you can. I am surrounded by the tools of my trade: laptop, spiral-bound notebooks, pens, and a bookshelf featuring some (certainly nowhere near all) of my favorite books.

I keep a candle burning. It provides a flicker of light and the aroma enhances the ambience.

And—this is important—keep your desk tidy. Vacuum/sweep the room at least once a week. Empty your wastebasket. Don’t allow a collection of dirty coffee mugs to accumulate. Keep your writing area uncluttered and inviting. (My mother is probably grinning ear-to-ear right now.)

Never underestimate the mental health benefits of an appealing workspace.

2. Music sets the atmosphere.

Some people love to write to a heavy metal soundtrack at sanity-threatening volume. Others prefer to give their jangled nerves a break with alternative folk. Still others bask in instrumental jazz or lofi hip-hop beats. Pick the genre(s) that suit your writing style, and thrive in the ambience.

As an extrovert who misses the coffeehouse, I’ve been known to find online playlists designed for coffeehouses. Or, to take it a step further, there are eight-hour videos online featuring coffeehouse jazz mixed with light rainfall. The sound of ocean waves and seagulls may be more relaxing for others. Your choice.

As an author, I’ve also made use of various soundtracks to augment my pandemic-constrained writing ambience:

• For a scene in an open market.
• A hot summer’s country evening.
• Late-night big-city apartment balcony.
• Creepy dystopian or urban fantasy scene(s).

And this may be a bit old-school to admit, but I also enjoy the regular rhythm of changing/flipping vinyl records.

3. Do something writing-related every day.

I don’t mean “write X number of words or pages per day or you’re not a real writer.” It’s good to hold our own feet to the fire, so to speak, so that we don’t excuse ourselves from the hard work of writing. But on those days where it’s just not flowing, there are other writing-related things we can do as an alternative to seething in frustration or staring at a blank page/screen as if it’s our arch-nemesis.

Reading is writing-related. As Stephen King famously said, “If you want to be a writer . . . you must read a lot and write a lot.” Reading counts. Grab a book off your shelf and dig in. Lose yourself in a well-told story.

Dream up a concept for your cover art. If you design your own covers, open Photoshop and experiment a bit.

A long walk outdoors can clear your head, but it can also be an opportunity for creative day-dreaming about your work-in-progress. You might want to stick a notepad and pen in your back pocket, just in case major plot revelations spring to mind.

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And, whenever possible, WRITE. Stay mentally healthy in the process, of course, but once those words begin flowing again—fasten your seat-belt and stomp on the accelerator.