This year has been one heck of a ride thus far, both for me privately and for humanity as a whole. It began with someone close to me being diagnosed with cancer, and then followed that up with the outbreak of COVID-19—which has brought with it a host of unhappy complications, in addition to the obvious problem of the illness itself. And in the background of all of this, I moved to a new home and started a new freelance writing gig.

I don’t know about you, but me? I’m tired. I’m stressed. And I’m sick (forgive me) of quarantine life. I miss the beach, the park, the farmer’s markets and the local festivals—the sense of being connected, not just to each other, but to nature, to the fresh air and sunshine that sustain us.

I am trying to be good—both for my sake (I am one of the ones at an elevated risk, should I get sick) and for other people to whom I might otherwise unwittingly pass on this potentially deadly disease. But it’s hard. Especially when, as a writer who is already glued to my computer screen five days a week both for my day job and my fiction work anyway, going out, trying new things, and exploring new places has become a vital piece of my own personal self-care puzzle.

Writing during stressful times like this can seem like a chore—even to someone like me who lives for (and on) the art of the written word. It feels so much easier to curl up in bed with a few good books—or a Nintendo Switch and a copy of Animal Crossing—and let someone else do the work of opening the escape hatch for us.

But when I finally sat down to work on The Dragon’s Last Flight recently after several weeks of being forced to set it aside in favor of attending to other, more pressing tasks, I felt the weight of everything that had been accumulating on my shoulders shift, ever so slightly. I remembered that I loved writing, and how vital a role writing fiction, in particular, plays in keeping me grounded, through the good times and the bad.

So if you’re a writer, do as Billy Crystal says in Throw Momma from the Train. Write, always, even during stressful times. Especially during stressful times. Write your feelings in your journal. Burn your frustrations as fuel to give you the energy you need to write the next word, the next sentence, the next paragraph or page. Use your fears as fodder for your characters’ development. Do whatever it takes to get it out on the page.

This is doubly true if you can use your writing to help someone else cope with the isolation of social distancing and quarantine life. Write blog posts and articles filled with good facts and helpful tips. Write stories that help people forget, if only for a while. Write a book, or a game, or a poem. Be the person opening the escape hatch for someone else—even if it’s just that one friend who’s allowed to read your rough drafts, or a family member with whom you can share some welcome advice.

Writing during stressful times isn’t superfluous work or a thankless chore. If anything, it’s more essential than ever. So writers, write. As for you readers out there, keep reading and offer what support and words of encouragement you can to the authors who write what you love.

I think we could all use a little extra support and encouragement right now, don’t you think?

Stay safe. Stay well. And above all, even when the world itself feels cruel and uncaring, stay kind. We will get through this, but we’ll have to do it together.

If you’re looking for a little something to help pass the time, you’re more than welcome to check out a few of the “Free Reads” I’ve posted on this blog. Or, treat yourself and take a trip to a mythical version of 19th century Ireland in The Harbinger’s Head over at Choice of Games!