This was exactly what I needed today. I am all for reading (& writing) pandemic-influenced literature. Thanks so much!
Also, love the casual reference to Selling Sunset. The way reality tv shows try to move past the pandemic and/or incorporate it into their storylines was (and continues to be) fascinating. The zoom-reunions, staycations, and bejeweled masks were certainly an experience.
Reality TV is super-interesting in this, in that the film industry has been stricter than most about Covid protocols. The Amazing Race had to stop filming due to the pandemic and then come back later with new protocols, locations and challenges, since travel was very tricky then.... one pair was eliminated when they tested positive.
I kind of love watching reality shows interrupted by the pandemic, and seeing the reactions, and how/if they pick up again.
On the sitcom side.... Brooklyn 99 had to scrap and re-write their entire season, because how do you have a cop-positive TV show in light of the police murders and subsequent protests in 2020? And hospital-set shows like New Amsterdam had a huge event to incorporate because it would have been bizarre to pretend there was no pandemic when you have a show about health care.
Okay, clearly I watch too much TV. :) But it holds for fiction... if we are writing contemporary stories, we can't ignore major contemporary events, not without a conscious decision to set it in 2019 or earlier. It's just going to be weird.
Yep, this was an eye-opener. I am one of those people who have said publicly that I don’t want to read about Covid. Mostly because I haven’t wanted to be reminded of this earthquaking event that is still sending significant aftershocks. But I appreciate my eyes being opened to a different perspective. I wholeheartedly agree that literature is going to need to make a distinction about pre-Covid, but—after reading this honest letter and this introspective reply—I am not going to automatically dismiss any writing that includes the pandemic. It can’t be ignored…and I like the shift of feeling we have all been through this in one form or another. And if there are days I want to ignore it, I can always read Jane Austen. Or maybe that asshole Hemingway. 😉
It's entirely fair to not want to read about the pandemic. But, as writers, we can't quite ignore that it happened, not unless we want every story we write to be set in 2019 or earlier. :) That might work for a while but eventually 2019 is going to feel DONE.
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS LETTER, WHICH IS WHY I'M SHOUTING IT. 💛
Tell me how you really feel, lol. Thank you!
No art is created in a vacuum. Anybody trying to pretend a pandemic never happened is delusional.
This was a great breakdown.
Thanks so much!
This was exactly what I needed today. I am all for reading (& writing) pandemic-influenced literature. Thanks so much!
Also, love the casual reference to Selling Sunset. The way reality tv shows try to move past the pandemic and/or incorporate it into their storylines was (and continues to be) fascinating. The zoom-reunions, staycations, and bejeweled masks were certainly an experience.
I love the bejeweled masks.
Reality TV is super-interesting in this, in that the film industry has been stricter than most about Covid protocols. The Amazing Race had to stop filming due to the pandemic and then come back later with new protocols, locations and challenges, since travel was very tricky then.... one pair was eliminated when they tested positive.
I kind of love watching reality shows interrupted by the pandemic, and seeing the reactions, and how/if they pick up again.
On the sitcom side.... Brooklyn 99 had to scrap and re-write their entire season, because how do you have a cop-positive TV show in light of the police murders and subsequent protests in 2020? And hospital-set shows like New Amsterdam had a huge event to incorporate because it would have been bizarre to pretend there was no pandemic when you have a show about health care.
Okay, clearly I watch too much TV. :) But it holds for fiction... if we are writing contemporary stories, we can't ignore major contemporary events, not without a conscious decision to set it in 2019 or earlier. It's just going to be weird.
Yep, this was an eye-opener. I am one of those people who have said publicly that I don’t want to read about Covid. Mostly because I haven’t wanted to be reminded of this earthquaking event that is still sending significant aftershocks. But I appreciate my eyes being opened to a different perspective. I wholeheartedly agree that literature is going to need to make a distinction about pre-Covid, but—after reading this honest letter and this introspective reply—I am not going to automatically dismiss any writing that includes the pandemic. It can’t be ignored…and I like the shift of feeling we have all been through this in one form or another. And if there are days I want to ignore it, I can always read Jane Austen. Or maybe that asshole Hemingway. 😉
It's entirely fair to not want to read about the pandemic. But, as writers, we can't quite ignore that it happened, not unless we want every story we write to be set in 2019 or earlier. :) That might work for a while but eventually 2019 is going to feel DONE.
This was an excellent read. Thanks Sonal.