Writing about the COVID-19 outbreak

For many people, whether you consider yourself a writer or not, one reaction to times of crisis is to write about it. I read somewhere (and unfortunately didn't make a note of where) about the idea of keeping a handwritten plague journal during the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are some ideas for writing prompts for this project:

a) what are your responses to the news stories about the pandemic?
b) what are your personal experiences?
c) how do you think your local area is coping (or not) with the epidemic?
d) how are you coping (or not coping) with the restrictions placed on your life as a result of the pandemic?
e) What are your hopes and fears for the future after COVID-19 is over?

If you have any other ideas for prompts feel free to share them in the comments! 

You could also make the journal into something of a commonplace book, including strange stories or tips for coping that you find in the media or hear from friends and family when they email or phone you. If you use a notebook to write your journal then you can add cuttings from newspapers or magazines.

If you want to share your writing further, there are a number of options:

Haiku Commentary on Twitter is looking for haiku and senryu about COVID-19.

In It Together 19 are looking for people's personal stories about the pandemic and are organising a digital penpal scheme.

Submittable has a list here of publications and websites looking for creative responses to the pandemic.


How is the current situation affecting your writing or blogging?

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You can read my writings about the pandemic by following the links below:

One of my haiku is included in this post from Jacquie Pearce on her Wild Ink blog.
My essay 'The New Normal' is published on the Pendemic website.
My poem 'Waiting for Swifts' is included in the Poetry Kit Poetry in the Plague Year.
My essay Masked is published on the Pendemic website.