5 Lessons I Learned Writing a Book in a Pandemic

This year has presented us all with unexpected obstacles and challenges—not the least of which is a global pandemic. Today, author Uju Asika talks about what she learned in the process of writing and publishing a book this year:

As the author of Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World, which was published in September, one question people ask me is, “How on earth did you manage to write a book in a pandemic?”

I submitted the first draft of the manuscript 12 days before the UK went into lockdown, but I still had weeks of drafting, cutting and revising left to do.

Being a NaNoWriMo winner in 2018 (whoop whoop!), I was used to churning out words at speed. But this was a work of nonfiction involving interviews, studies and checking sources. Also the topic was both deeply personal and hugely important. I couldn’t just wing it. Here are 5 lessons I learned in the process of writing a book during a pandemic:

Lesson 1: It’s Ok to Freak Out

I spent the first weeks of the pandemic scrolling news feeds 24-7 and becoming an amateur epidemiologist via the School of Google. Similarly, when I started writing the book, I lost entire days to ‘research’ (aka Facebook). I felt like a fraud, a sham, a big fat failure. Who told me I could write an entire book? Why did I think this was a good idea? Now I realize this was all completely normal. Freaking out is part of the process. Whether you are taking on a huge, scary project or a global outbreak, you are entitled to lose your shit at least for a bit.

Lesson 2: Take Regular Breaks

As a writer, once you’re disciplined enough to keep ‘butt in chair’, you might find yourself suffering sciatica, eye strain and other ailments. Likewise, if you don’t switch off from Trump tweets and Boris briefings, it can mess with your mind. Taking breaks is essential, both for your sanity and to replenish your creative well. You don’t have to go on a marathon hike or visit a remote island. Try a stroll around your neighborhood or an evening with Netflix instead of your laptop. (Just don’t use Netflix as an excuse to stop writing.)

Lesson 3: Pace Yourself

At the start of the pandemic, several world leaders claimed it would be over soon. However, common sense, instinct, and science says we are in it for the long haul. So don’t burn through those store cupboard recipes and homeschooling hacks. Equally, don’t try to write a book in one stretch (although you can do it in a month if you’re crazy enough). Set smaller goals like a daily word count or a timed writing session. Writing apps like Scrivener are great for helping you stay on track. 

Lesson 4: The Only Way Out is Through

This sounds like the theme song from a disaster movie (apt for 2020) but it’s true. Whether tackling a creative venture or a crisis, the only way out is through. There are times you’ll want to turn back or give up entirely. But the best option is to keep moving forward until you see that glimmer of light at the other end. I used to fantasize about holding the finished book in my hand. But the only way to get there was to stop fantasizing and get to work. Or to paraphrase Finding Dory, just keep that ink swimming.

Lesson 5: The Magic is in the Edit

Ask any author, most of us would rather extract teeth than remove precious words from our manuscripts. However, something magical happens in the edit. Ideas that began as loose threads weave into shape. Your work is better for what you choose to keep and what you’re willing to let go. Some call 2020 a giant reset. I think it’s a giant edit. We are letting go of what no longer serves us. Discovering what truly matters and cutting out the other crap. It is painful on many fronts but I do believe we will emerge stronger, tighter and clearer for it.

I hope these lessons are useful to anyone attempting to write through difficult times. It’s ok to freak out, whether on the page or in real life. Take regular breaks both from writing and from world news. Pace yourself but keep moving forward because the only way out is putting one foot (or word) after another. And don’t worry if your project/home/life in general feels ridiculously messy right now. The magic is in the edit.

Uju Asika is a multiple award-nominated blogger, screenwriter and digital consultant. She is the author of Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World, published in September 2020 by Yellow Kite (Hachette). Buy the book on Amazon UK, Waterstones, Word on the Water (delivery to North America and Europe) and other good bookshops.

Author photo by Storm Davison.