Transcript:

Let’s be real. Some days it feels like the world is unraveling. The news is heavy, the future uncertain, and that little voice in your head says:

Why am I even writing right now? Who cares about stories when everything else feels like it’s falling apart?

If you’ve felt that—pause. Take a breath. You’re not alone.

Today I want to talk about why writing still matters—and maybe matters more than ever in hard times. I’ll also give you a few practical, gentle ways to keep writing when it feels impossible. Not because you have to—but because it’s worth it. Because you are worth it.

Hi I’m C. Sloan Lewis, your virtual writing coach, and my goal is to help you not just improve your writing—but to support you as a writer. Welcome to my channel!

The Power of Writing in Difficult Times

Writing in dark times is not new. It’s a thread that runs through human history.

Anne Frank wrote nearly every day in the Secret Annex, the hiding place where she and her family were trying to survive the Holocaust.

In her diary, she captured fear, heartbreak, humor, and hope—not just for herself, but for the generations that would later learn from her words.

She was a young teenager. She wasn’t writing to become famous, even though at a certain point she knew she wanted her diary published. She was writing to survive.

And now? That diary is one of the most important pieces of literature from the 20th century.

Or take Victor Hugo, writing Les Misérables in exile, driven by grief and fury at injustice.

Or Maya Angelou, using poetry and memoir to give voice to trauma and reclaim her story during the civil rights movement.

Wartime poets—Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, and others—wrote from the trenches, their verses raw and unfiltered.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn secretly wrote while imprisoned in a Soviet labor camp, hiding pages of his novel in soap bars.

These writers weren’t detached from the pain of the world—they were immersed in it. And yet they still chose to write.

Why?

Because stories are a kind of resistance. Because writing is how we witness. Because even in darkness, our voices matter.

And here’s the truth: you don’t have to be documenting a war or writing a revolution to make your writing meaningful.

A quiet fantasy novel. A funny blog post. A poem about grief or gardens.

It all counts.

It all builds the archive of this moment. And to soothe your readers with a cozy mystery, to build their contentment, is a great way to stick it to the fearmongers out there.

How to Keep Writing Through the Chaos

Okay, so maybe you want to write. You believe it matters. But… you’re exhausted, burnt out., and stuck.

I hear you. Let’s talk about how to keep going—without pushing yourself into overwhelm.

1. Set Realistic Goals- which is always important for creatives

This is not the time to expect a 5,000-word writing sprint if your nervous system is fried.

Try five minutes. One paragraph. Even one sentence.

Think of your creativity like a pilot light. You’re keeping the flame alive, not trying to start a bonfire.

2. Use Writing as a Way to Process

Write what you can, not what you should.

Not feeling your novel? Journal. Tired of plot holes? Write a weird little poem. Put your anxiety into a short story. Turn your fear into a metaphor.

I’ve found a lot of joy this week writing fan fiction of the Hunger Games when I can’t listen to my audiobook of Sunrise on the Reaping —yeah, I write fan fic sometimes.

And putting all my worries and gratitudes in my journal allows me to carry them with me without holding onto them in my mind.

I also have a short story anthology in the works about the Intrusive Thoughts of Motherhood, which allows me turn something my mind wants me to believe is real into fiction.

Writing doesn’t have to be pretty—it just has to be true to you.

3. Curate Your Input

You don’t have to doom-scroll to stay informed. Take breaks, mute the chaos, and protect your brain space.

Recently, I deleted every app on my phone that connected me to social media and the news. I now have to get on my computer or turn on my TV to access the news, giving me far more control over the information I take in. A novelty to young people but once the way things just were to the older generations,

My mind is so much clearer now for writing, teaching, reading, and any other activity when I need my brain at its best. And you know what I found? The community around me keeps me informed about anything important I might have missed with my limited news intake. There’s been no judgment, and I haven’t missed that much.

So, give yourself permission to disconnect in order to create. There isn’t a downside to this.

4. Find a Creative Community

Even if it’s just one other person. DM a friend. Join a virtual writing session. When the world is loud, connection is grounding.

On Monday, I play D&D with friends and family. On Tuesday, I meet with my writing critique partner. On Wednesday, I go to a writer’s workshop. And on Thursday, I meet online with a couple of friends to talk about our careers.

You don’t have to write with someone—but knowing others are writing and creating too can remind you that you’re not alone in this.

5. Let Writing Look Different

Maybe this isn’t the season for your big novel or your usual blog.

Maybe it’s the season for scraps. Notes. Messy drafts.

That’s okay. There’s no wrong way to write in hard times.

Give yourself flexibility, not guilt.

Why Writers Should Keep Creating

So here’s the core truth I want to leave you with:

When things feel uncertain, chaotic, even hopeless—writing is an act of quiet rebellion.

Creating something—anything—is how we remember that we’re still here. That we still feel. That beauty still exists. That connection still matters.

We are not just passive observers of the world—we’re storytellers. We take the mess and shape it into something that helps people breathe.

Even if that “people” is just you. That’s enough.

Years from now, someone might pick up your book or read your post or stumble on your journal—and see proof that they weren’t the only ones.

That someone else lived through this moment and kept creating anyway.

So if you’re thinking, “Why bother writing right now?” Here’s your answer: Because it’s one of the most human things you can do.

And that’s powerful.

Outro

If this resonated with you—if you’re one of the many writers trying to hold onto your creativity in hard times—I’d love to hear from you.

Leave a comment below: What’s helping you keep writing right now? Or what’s something you’ve written that surprised you?

And if you want more encouragement, creative tools, and honest conversations about the writing life—hit that like button, subscribe, and come hang out here each week.

Take care of yourself and protect your spark.

And most of all… You’ve got some writing to do. So I’ll see you next week. Ta-ta!