How to Write Amid Chaos

When times are turbulent, pinpointing why your work matters to yourself and to readers can provide the motivation you need to keep putting words on the page.

- TIFFANY YATES MARTIN

Under the best of circumstances, it can be hard to clear space-literal and metaphorical—to write amid responsibilities and commitments, busy schedules, and the many distractions and unpredictability of life.

These are not, by most people's measure, the best of circumstances.

Divisiveness is on the rise; wars are being waged around the world. Our newsfeeds, inboxes, and TVs report growing political unrest, the increasingly dire effects of unchecked global warming, and a future so uncertain that many people no longer expect to enjoy more stability, freedom, or economic well-being than their parents' generation.

Add to that the personal challenges and struggles that are a regular feature of being alive, and it's hard to clear away all the noise so you can sit down and write. Hard to focus on the worlds we want to create when the one around us may feel stifling or frightening or bleak. At times like this, writers may even wonder if there's a point in creating our stories or sharing them, if they may have any meaning or impact at all.

But this is when your writing is more important than ever.

Why Does Your Writing Matter?

It may not seem as if it makes any difference when you're dragging yourself out of bed early after a restless night from doomscrolling social media feeds till the wee hours or trying to shut out all the noise and headlines to crank out your 500 or 1,000 or 2,000 words. Especially if, like most of us, your stories aren't directly speaking to or about any of the critical issues raging on around us. Spinning the tale of your charming cozy or sizzling romantasy or introspective memoir might seem like waltzing while the world burns.

But here's why your writing and stories matter: