Good morning! Looks like it’s going to be a sunny day today, hurray! (Sorry, we English really do have a thing about the weather. :-))
I was going to talk about story plans today, because registration for the Write for a Reason Academy is open, and as part of the course, you will be writing your own story plan. But this morning I decided to encourage you to write about the recent crisis instead, before the moment passes.
If you haven’t already been keeping a diary, why not spend an hour writing about everything that’s happened since we first heard about Covid-19, and how it has affected you?
What were your first reactions? What were your second, as the crisis began to bite? What scared you? Do you know people who caught the virus? How did that make you feel?
What were the worst things about lockdown, for you? What did you miss most?
How, if at all, have your relationships changed with God, your family, your friends, your church family, your neighbours?
What good has come out of it for you? What have your learned?
Writing down all these things could be a useful cathartic exercise, to help get it all out of your head and on to paper. It could also be useful material for future stories. It could also be fascinating reading material for future generations! Plus, of course, any writing is excellent practice.
It doesn’t have to be neat. You don’t need to edit it if you don’t want to. Just sit down and write, and let your thoughts take over your pen/fingers on the keyboard. You need to be raw, and real. I suggest a real pen and journal for that reason – it allows the creative side of your brain to take over.
For me, the first time I went to the supermarket and had to queue to get in was a shocking moment. Then hearing that my son’s fiancé was going to be working on a specially set up Covid-19 ward brought dread to my heart – she was going to be close up to the disease for hours at a time, with limited protective equipment. (She has stayed well, praise the Lord!) And there’s so much more I could say about how we set up our Bible study group, managed to keep working, the daily exercise routine, the lack of planes, our church days of prayer…
So let me leave that with you. And maybe next week I’ll talk about story plans!
Stay safe (whatever anyone else does around you), and may God bless you.
Janet
P.S. More about the Write for a Reason Academy here, as we start again soon, for the last time at half price. I’d love to help you with your stories. I probably should have told you more about it this week, but if you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me. And if you know anyone else who might be interested, please do pass the info on to them. Thank you!