Second Wave
One certainty among the uncertainty the Covid 19 pandemic, is that when there is mention of a threat, it certainly comes. This is no truer than the case of a second wave. Since its first mention in early summer, it was almost a sealed deal that a large wave of new infections would rise as autumn progresses across the Europe. To this end, it’s no doubt that people are realizing this circumstance isn’t going to disappear and as such, we should prepare for more downtime inside our homes.
Writer and counsellor, Ayden Hector, identifies the second wave as being something that could potentially damaging than the first despite governments claiming to understand the infection more. In a recent article for the guardian, Hector, promotes the need to prepare for mental challenges along with the economic ones as British public prepare for a punishing winter of discontent.
Despite the dismal outlook, Hector promotes importance of embracing the moment and using this time to creative explore the emotional landscape and responses to being confined at home for long periods of time. He identities a primal need for humans to maintain meaningful contact throughout lock down, but with a deeper understanding to what inner emotions are revealing about us.
Covid Writers Club is a concept Hector devised initially as a means for himself to respond to the foreboding sense of enforced isolation at his home in Cornwall. Realizing that his life will be restricted somewhat, the benefits realized through his focused writing informed a practical measure that could be applied to other professional and amateur writers alike. As such, Hector identifies three key areas that make his writers find a worthwhile endeavor for any budding writer regardless of their ability.
Connected
Hector determines the importance of connecting with friends and family as important but extends this to strangers. Engaging with new conversations can pull out new perspectives and experience to discuss and unravel, he suggests.
Regularly meeting and contributing to a community of practice builds a sense of meaningful relationships away from the familiar ones attached to family and friends.
Creative
Finding an avenue to not simply to explore feelings of isolation and memory but the means to record and document them can provide excellent furtive ground for new writing material.
Often the harshest of experiences can build up an excellent account of human emotions. Hector mentions the success of disaster experience books that are often featured in films now.
Cathartic
Regardless of the connotations some artists have with the therapeutic side of creative endeavors, the reality is that the experience of discomfort provides tangible and authentic experiences that are not only vital for writing material but can also help writers come to terms with difficult memories or emotions.
Considering writing as a therapy than a means to create a work of art will allow the focus of the content. This is the most effective way to generate quality material.
