Through 2020, it became most clear that much of our world exists on its own schedule. Creativity and the act of writing are no different; they don't wait for convenient times to present themselves. Paula Brown discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned penned in pandemic.
What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?
Cases in Tucson are rising again. Masks are worn in all public places. Restaurants, gyms, and bars are open with reduced capacity. Several known and loved restaurants have permanently closed.
What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?
I have been binge reading books about Mount Everest: Alison Levine's On the Edge, Ellis Stewart's Everest: It's Not About the Summit, Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, and I am currently reading Nick Heil's Dark Summit. I guess reading about the extreme hardships endured by mountain climbers has made me feel better about having to stay secluded in my home.
Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?
Like for so many people, Netflix has come to my rescue. Recently I have finished watching “Away,” and am currently following “Schitt's Creek.”
How has the pandemic affected your writing?
I purposely enrolled in several online classes through the Writers Studio throughout the spring and summer and into the fall to keep my mind occupied. I have written more than ever during this time.
Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?
I have been turning more to poetry to express myself, and hope to continue this trend. So much can be said in so few words and I find it very satisfying.
If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?
Writing is like using a muscle. The more you write, the easier it is to get satisfying work on the page. Consistency is optimal!
Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?
I belong to two writing groups in Tucson that have continued to meet via Zoom. One group meets weekly and we read our work to each other for feedback. The other group Zooms for fifteen to thirty minutes, with each writer stating their writing intention to the group, and then we are off on our own to write for two hours.
Is there anything that excites you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?
I think that when hard times happen writers are inspired to record our experiences and emotions. Several journals have asked for this pandemic-inspired writing.
Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?
My dining room table faces the back yard and I write there while observing the birds and the animals that come by. I love the natural world and much of what I see in my back yard has become a subject in my writing.
If you curated a playlist for writing life in the pandemic, what top 5 songs would be on your list?
I'm not sure I have a playlist, but if I did, Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" would be at the top.
Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene you've written since the pandemic began?
I wrote a short nonfiction piece about walking one of our dachshunds. It was joyous because we had been unable to go for walks for well over a month due to the relentless, record breaking heat Tucson and the southwest endured this summer. I also feel very connected to the poems which I submitted here, which resulted from an exercise based on Yannis Ritsos’ Diaries of Exile from a Writers Studio class I took. These poems really embodied the sadness I felt in living through the pandemic.
While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?
My husband and I just bought a little Winnebago camping trailer so that we can get away for a few days each month with our dogs and feel relatively safe from the virus.
Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?
Whatever you are seeing, feeling, and experiencing is all unlimited material for your writing. Get it down on paper when it comes to you because the creativity won't wait. If you are not in a place to write, take notes with your phone so that you can come back to the words that want to be said.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I am so grateful for my writing life, which has contributed more than anything else toward keeping me sane during this tumultuous time. Writers and artists are so blessed to have this creative outlet to express ourselves when times are tough.
ABOUT Paula Brown
Paula Brown retired from the medical field and is a master student of the Writers Studio in Tucson, Arizona. Her work has been published in the Adirondack Review, North Dakota Quarterly, Whitefish Review, South Dakota Magazine, War, Literature, and the Arts, and the Phoenix Soul. She lives in Tucson with her husband and six dachshunds.
Thanks for chatting, Paula!
