Moving Forward While the World Stands Still

This morning, I read Pat Stoltey's excellent post on the Colorado Writers Collaborative. Because I was a Colorado writer for many years, my curiosity was piqued. If you have not read her article, I suggest you do so, whether or not you are in Colorado and especially if world events have neutralized or totally drained your creative juices.

When I was raising my children, I looked forward to the time when I could sit down unhampered and transfer all the stories running around in my head to a written format. "Unhampered" means unbridled, unrestrained by circumstances, and I needed that freedom to write. The children long ago reached adulthood, their youngsters are grown, and most of them have grandchildren. So what's the excuse now?

Circumstances change. Mates die. Homes are gone. Families scatter. Estrangements shut down communication. Incentive wanes. Minds and bodies grow weary with age. Illness saps energy. Depression suppresses creative expression.

The list of potential creativity stiflers goes on and on, and the brass ring that seemed just out of reach in days gone by eludes all efforts to grasp it. Dulled by the tarnish of passing years, it no longer holds the appeal it once did. Seeking another way to reach it requires too much effort. Is there a brighter side to all this negativity?

Actually . . . yes. Even when the writing habit could not (or did not) take root and grow during earlier years, it's likely hibernating. It needs only to be awakened and pressed into service. That sounds easy enough, but the process can prove daunting. Then along comes a pandemic, and the chuckholes in the road to rehabbing it grow into major sinkholes. So what's next? Does the lemon-into-lemonade cliché apply here?

Perhaps it does. Stories can come from a deep well of memories, rather like Phoenix rising from the ashes. Historical events, current or past news, experiences, changed circumstances, and a host of other sources can fuel the creation of a blockbuster book. Take a pandemic, for example.

What happens if a worldwide plague grows out of a new virus in a single country? What if the extent of its spread is kept secret from the people? What if a huge disparity of the "facts" develops between scientists and authorities? What if flourishing businesses must close their doors, albeit temporarily, while struggling businesses cease to exist. What if unemployment rises sharply, and families are forced from their homes into the streets? What if food prices escalate, store shelves are empty, and penniless people, young and old, have nothing to eat? What if authorities seize the opportunity to take control of populations accustomed to being free to make their own choices? What if the world comes under the control of a single government that claims to have the interest of all at heart? And what if that government dictates what all citizens must do, although not necessarily in the best interests of the people?

Whether we write women's fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, or whatever, within those parameters of "what-ifs" lie a plethora of gripping stories that can touch readers' hearts, possibly even offer them hope. People are starving for honesty, for reassurance, for a positive word about their future, the future of their children, grandchildren, other loved ones, and the world in general. We have a unique opportunity to explore a situation such as noted above from a variety of angles. We can move forward even if the world stands still. Could this be the inspiration we need to begin writing—or continue writing? What do you think?

Editor Linda Lane has returned to her first love—writing—while maintaining her editing work. Her novels typically fall into the literary category because they are character driven rather than plot driven, but their quick pace reminds the reader of genre fiction. You can contact her through her websites: LSLaneBooks.com and DenverEditor.com.