Or is it? We’re still fighting the pandemic, in fact, a new more virulent strain than ever. For most of us the world begins with a certain sadness and a longing to connect with others in a real rather than a virtual context.

But what about our writing this year? Have you become discouraged or downhearted? I listened to a talk about our writing as worship over the weekend. Whether or not you have a belief in God, I found the talk freeing as it suggested that we don’t have to write for publication, we can just write for ourselves, journal. In fact, sometimes when we are in a bad or a difficult situation, our words maybe difficult to share with others but may well be cathartic for us.

I am currently studying an MA in Creative and Critical writing, as many of my followers know. In beginning to write a piece of memoir about my life, I have seen the value of the exercise of writing our memoirs for our children or antecedents, particularly as I get older. I knew so little about my father’s life as he died when I was just a teenager. How lovely it would have been to have an account of it to read. I was even more excited when I learnt of a local company who will hand bind your memoirs for a reasonable cost. They can be found at https://www.crumpsbarnstudio.co.uk

Whatever form your writing may take this year, assignments, a novel, an article, a memoir or just journaling, do make time to do it, even just for a few minutes a day. It may just help you to get through this difficult time.