Writing and alligators

I wrote this one short week ago for Soul Mate Publishing’s blog site. Amazing how in just a week so much has happened! The Claire of a week ago was merely contemplating working from home—now it is a reality. Hospitals are struggling to keep up. Wondercon has been canceled. The NBA and NHL seasons are canceled. Grocery stores look like the apocalypse. More people get ill daily.  It’s a scary world out there and I hope everyone stays safe. Anyway, I thought you would enjoy last week’s blog.

Claire

Soul Mate blog from 3/6/20:

I have both a writing career and a stressful day job. Often people will ask me “don’t you want to write full time?” My answer is usually along the lines of that I fear writing full-time would finish the process of turning me into a hermit—and then it’s one small step to digging a moat around the property and filling it with alligators.

Well. In these scary times of a possible pandemic that doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

Said day job is quite intense. I work at the studio that releases the James Bond movies and the recent announcement that we were moving it from April to November sent ripples throughout the industry. There were many good reasons for the move, not the least of which is that Bond has always traditionally been released in November. But it was current events that drove the move, and I am sure it won’t be the only title making a dramatic shift.

I’m often slow to focus on external events (got stories to write, you know!) and it’s only been recently that I have understood how much this situation is cutting across the world. Schools are closing, travel is being curtailed and industries like hotels and airlines are seriously impacted. People are making choices to stay home. I’m going to a small Highlander convention this weekend and a few people dropped out due to the situation. I considered it, but I’m still going. I’ll just have the hand sanitizer nearby and fist bump my friends, not shake hands.

Another possibility that companies are looking into is people self-isolating and working remotely. That part of me that is a hermit is like “where do I sign up? Cue the alligators!” When a story is whirring through my brain I can easily go days without wanting—or needing—interaction. But that’s not ultimately healthy. Humans are social animals and we need that contact to stay vital.

But when something that is the punchline to a joke becomes a viable alternative lifestyle (minus the gators—at least for now) it’s clear that we are in for a bumpy ride. Part of the reason I can focus so much on the weekends is that during the week I have constant stimulus. Likely I would miss it if I were alone 24/7.

It’s possible I’ll get to find out.

Stay safe, everyone!

Claire Davon

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