5 Ways Writers can Take Advantage of this Time—Opportunities in Corona Virus Chaos

by Ralene Burke @RaleneB

For the last 10 weeks, many of us have been cooped up in our homes with our families 24/7. In some ways, the changes have been a blessing, allowing us more time with our families, showing us where are priorities should be, etc. In other ways, the changes have tested us, forcing us to learn new technology to work/school from home, keeping us from our friends and other fun activities, hampering our creative juices when everything just seems too much.

Sometimes it's just hard to see the silver lining, how this could all be part of God’s plan.

And those are questions we may never have the answers to this side of Heaven. However, there are different and/or new opportunities for writers like us! Opportunities we should embrace with an open mind.

Here are just a few examples:

• 1. We might have more TIME to write. Granted, that writing time may not seem ideal. Sometimes, we might be struggling with our creativity in general, so writing might seem too difficult. But we should be opening our creativity to different ways to grow within our writing. Maybe we aren’t working on our WIP, but we could be journaling, trying our hand at writing exercises, blogging, writing other things (like articles, devotions, etc.).

• 2. We might have more TIME to read. Who doesn’t love curling up on the couch with a good book? Many people need an escape into fiction to help them process everything going on around us. Others might find encouragement in non-fiction and Bible study. Most people need a bit of both right now!

• 3. We might have time to discover NEW WAYS to inspire our creativity. We can take up new hobbies, explore different art forms, develop a new skill, visit new places online…the opportunities here are endless!

• 4. Many writers conferences have had to cancel their 2020 conferences. Others have taken their conferences ONLINE!Realm Makers, the conference for speculative fiction writers that I work for, is embarking on their first virtual experience. And with that new experience comes new registration prices and new opportunities as well!

• 5. Since Realm Makers is happening online now, we’re learning new apps, tools, and technology to make this conference a success. Realm Makers is using a combination of Discord (a real-time chat program), CrowdCast (webinar platform for workshops), and Zoom (for one-on-one meetings). And this idea applies to writers as well—we can take this time to learn new programs that we’ve wanted to try: Scrivener, email marketing programs, organization apps, etc.

Though finding energy and focus during this time may be hard, we shouldn’t let all the opportunities pass us by. We may not be able to do ALL the things listed above, but we should try our hand at a few and see where we end up!

What new opportunities have you taken advantage of over the last couple of months? What do you hope to do in the next couple of months?

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5 Ways Writers can Take Advantage of this Time—Opportunities in Corona Virus Chaos via @RaleneB on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Whether she’s wielding a fantasy writer’s pen, a social media wand, or a freelance editor’s sword, Ralene Burke always has her head in some dreamer’s world. And her goal is to help everyone #SHINE Beyond their circumstances! Her novels, Bellanok and Armor of Aletheia, are available on Amazon. More fantasy novels coming soon!

When her head’s not in the publishing world, she is wife to a veteran and homeschooling mama to their three kids. Her Pinterest board would have you believe she is a master chef, excellent seamstress, and all-around crafty diva. If she only had the time . . . You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or at her website.