CovidWriMo

Self-isolating? Time to write! Let’s do CovidWriMo!

(I did not come up with that name. Someone in one of my writing groups did; I take no credit!)

Woo! So many of my obligations in my ministry are isolating that I’m likely going to have more time to write. Time to pull out the computer. Let’s up that word-count!

Wait.

My kids are also home from school. And they’re loud. They like arguing with each other. They do not assist in increasing word counts. Ever. At all.

So I guess this isolation stuff isn’t good for writing after all.

Wait!

“Yeah, kids, why don’t you watch some tv?”

Now they’re screen zombies! Now I can go write!

…but that would make me a bad parent, wouldn’t it? Sigh. All right, only one episode, kids.

But I can write during that, right? All right! Computer on! Hands on keyboard!

Wait! I should double-check that there haven’t been any developments I missed. Let’s do a quick scan of headlines, just in case. Shouldn’t take more than a second.

What do you mean your episode is done already? Ack! And now the loud has returned!

Kids! Go outside!

Peace and quiet at last! Word processor open. I know exactly what story I’m tackling. Should be straightforward.

…he fell out of the tree?

Of course he did. I’m coming.

OK, so maybe self-isolating won’t be great for my word count as long as the kids are also conscious or, you know, existing.

Look, the pandemic is serious. We want to do what we can to limit the spread of the disease. There are definitely negatives of that, and I suspect we’re going to feel echoes of those negatives for quite a while.

But one of the positives that may exist for you is the chance to get more writing done. If that’s you, seize that chance!

Meanwhile, I’m going to go make sure that there’s no broken bones…