Creating in Times of Chaos and Uncertainty

This is my second post of 2025, and despite everything going on in the world, I sincerely want to wish you all a happy new year.

So, here’s my thinky thought for today: I truly believe that seeking joy and daring to hope is an act of good rebellion. Living in Canada, I am exposed to all of the news that’s going on in the United States, what with being their upstairs neighbour and all. It’s really hard for me to watch the creatives I know from the US who are racially marginalized, in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and/or who are disabled feeling the impact of the new presidency.

Canada has no reason to be smug either. We could be doing a whole lot better politically. We could be doing a whole lot better with inclusion as well. We have our own election coming up federally (and some of us provincially), and there is a certain uneasiness about it. Many of us don’t want a province or a country that disregards and oppresses entire groups of people. But there seems to be an apathy out there. At least that’s how it feels to me.

Being afraid or cautious or weighed down right now makes total sense. They are very reasonable reactions to what’s happening or what might happen. But I’ve also witnessed another message repeatedly from folks: Don’t let the oppressors weigh you down, don’t let them exhaust you, and keep living for hope.

I’ve also noticed many friends online saying they are going to make an active choice to seek out joy, every day, if they can. This is a decision I’m also trying to make. I want to pursue joy. I wanna create. I want to read as many books as I can, so I can celebrate other authors. I want to do crafts. I wanna make things pretty around me. I wanna sing. I want to take in art. Heck, I even want to learn how to bake a Pavlova.

I’ve noticed on the socials that some writers have been almost apologizing for having to promote their books while others refuse to apologize for promoting their books. I’m gonna go out there and say don’t ever apologize for being excited that your book is coming out during these troubled times. We need books. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, there could be ideas and messages and morals-of-the-story that can save lives. You would be surprised how people can get turned around from despair by reading a book. People can also feel their existence is valid (“I feel seen!”) because of what they read in a book.

The written word has a lot of power. While sometimes it can be used to influence in the worst way, most of the times it can be used in the best way. So don’t give up. Don’t let anyone stomp on your creative joy. Whether you write a zine, a poem, micro fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, or you name it — your words matter.

I have no idea what your relationship with your publisher is or if you feel that publishers won’t want your works. I do know that there is a community out there of independent authors and indie award organizations who are celebratory of diverse voices. (And one day, we won’t have to use the word diverse because we’ll understand that diversity is reality. But today, I use that word because it’s unfortunately still necessary to explain this need for inclusion.)

As for myself, I have a short story collection in the works that’s with my foreword author and the authors who are going to blurb it. I’m hoping to get my CroneLit romcom space opera to betas in a few months. I have a dream board full of ideas. Our critique group is meeting regularly again. I also have a podcast in the works with the Spoonie Authors Network that’s in recording sessions right now (stay tuned).

And mark my words. I really am going to try to make that Pavlova. It looks really yummy.

I guess I just want to emphasize that yes, now is an appropriate time to keep writing your stuff, being excited about your work, posting all about it if it’s released. Your joy cleanses our timelines on social media. Remember, just because we post about things that make us happy doesn’t mean we’re not aware of what’s going on. We are choosing to create instead of destroy. We’re choosing to hope instead of giving into total despair.

And that’s badass.

Sure, we’re gonna have our days where we feel low, and that’s why it’s really important for us to maintain a healthy community with people we can trust, like friends, family, and/or mental health professionals. Because we’re gonna have to vent. It’s important to not deny ourselves our emotions.

My hope is that after we vent, we can get into a state of calm, just long enough so we can pick up a pen or pencil or keyboard, and continue arranging the alphabet.

I’m going to repeat this: your words matter. You matter. Please don’t think there’s no point to creating. Creative works are vital to one’s spirit, whether for the writer or reader.

I wish you peace and calm, so you can create among the chaos. And I’m looking forward to seeing you post about joyful things online.

Keep being awesome.

Cait Gordon is an award-winning Canadian speculative fiction writer and anthology editor who advocates for disability, mental health, and neurodiversity representation in written works. She is the author of Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! and the co-editor (with Talia C. Johnson) of the Nothing Without Us and Nothing Without Us Too disability fiction anthologies. Cait is autistic, disabled, and queer, and really loves cake.

Header image by Jessica Lewis on Pexels.com