Did lockdown unlock your creativity?
Thoughts on how the pandemic compelled and enabled artists
Before you’re forced to confront my latest ramblings, I would love you to watch this:
ISN’T IT STUNNING?! 💃
This animation, called Still Life, was made in 2020 by Serafima Serafimova, a fiercely talented film director, editor, animator and artist, who also happens to be my friend and colleague. Serafima is undoubtedly one of my enablers (and, apparently, I’m one of hers, which blows my mind as I was a fan of her work before we worked together 🤯). I adore collaborating with her on our work projects, and despite existing on totally opposite ends of the extroversion / introversion scale, we have an awful lot in common when it comes to our creative tendencies:
We like to think big.
We like to think weird.
We’re both highly obsessed with the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest (I came second recently!).
We like to create as prolifically as our circumstances allow.
And it’s that final point which is key so many artists and creators.
In an interview with the independent filmmaking website Directors’ Notes about her Still Life animation, Serafima describes how lockdown “felt like an opportunity”:
“For the first time since I graduated, I had enough time to work on a personal project, without having to do so around my full time job or getting distracted by playing sports, going out with friends and basically having a life. Like so many others, I too felt compelled to create something inspired by COVID-19, so I decided to explore the things I missed the most – the ability to move freely and to be close to the people I love. Ironically, I now realise that Still Life was, in fact, a distraction in itself – keeping my mind and my hands busy, shifting my focus onto the animation and away from the craziness that was going on around me. It was either that or drinking myself to sleep every day…”
Lockdown gave artists like Serafima – and writers like me – a rare chance to dedicate themselves more than ever to their craft.
For Serafima, the extra time she was afforded meant she was able to hyperfocus on a single project, producing a piece of such mesmeric quality that it still gets screened around the world at events to this day.
For me, even though my lockdown experience was almost the complete opposite to Serafima’s (it took away pretty much all of my time, with no furlough to cushion me and two kids absorbing the majority of my energy and attention), it did mean I felt a compulsion to write as a form of escapism in a way I’d never done before. And writing as a form of seeking comfort and joy – as a form of play – finally unlocked the kind of stories I felt most drawn towards writing: funny stories! But ones that capture big ideas, too.
Speaking to lots of authors over the years, 2020 did seem to represent a big turning point for so many of us. Despite each individual being faced with completely different circumstances, what bound us all together back then was the fact that everything about our day-to-day realities altered in an instant.
We were forced to confront parts of ourselves that had lay hidden amongst the constantly revolving spool of our lives. Some of those parts were terrifying and unknown. Some were surprisingly silly and goofy. But all of them were exposed to the light for the first time, and we simply had no choice but to create room for these new facets of our identities.
And for me, as ever, the simplest way to make sense of all this external and internal chaos was…to write.
“I started my first novel in April 2020, right at the beginning of lockdown, and finished it in eight weeks.”
Heidi Stephens, rom-com author
Heidi is an advertising strategist / journalist turned award-winning rom-com author. I’ve been a huge admirer of Heidi’s writing for years, even before she pivoted to penning novels. She was the Guardian’s Strictly liveblogger, and also writes about Eurovision every year (and gets to go – what a gig!). Heidi’s first novel came out in 2021, and her sixth (!) – Snowed In With You* – came out this week! Talk about prolific!
At what point in your life did you think to yourself ‘Yes, I want to write a book’?
I don’t remember any time in my life when I DIDN’T want to write a book! I was an avid reader and writer as a child, convinced I could give Enid Blyton a run for her money. I ended up working in advertising and journalism, both of which are rooted in storytelling, but in the end I was 47 before I actually wrote the bloody book.
Do you have an agent? And what made you decide that choice was best for you?
Yes, I do – I’m represented by Safae El-Ouahabi at RCW, but my first agent was Caroline Sheldon, who has recently retired. I knew nothing about publishing and really wanted a Yoda-style mentor to help me navigate the industry, so finding an agent was absolutely my first choice. I was very lucky to find one quickly, as I didn’t really have a Plan B!
How long did it take from starting to write your first book, to people being able to buy it?
Less than a year, which I realise is insane. I started my first novel in April 2020, right at the beginning of lockdown, and finished it in eight weeks. I had an agent by June, a two-book deal with Headline by October, and the book was published in March 2021.
Why did you choose to publish your book traditionally?
Honestly? Headline offered me a book deal and it felt like the best option for a debut novelist. I realise it’s a route that isn’t open to everyone, but I was happy to take it.
What part of the writing or publishing process do you find the most annoying?
Finding the time. I still work full-time, so I have to fit it around a million other things. I always want to write on the days I don’t have time, and often the days I have time are the days I’d rather watch telly and eat cheese. It requires discipline, which has never been my strong point.
Plotting or pantsing: what’s your happy place?
I had to look up ‘pantsing’, which was an online adventure in itself…thanks for that. I’m a plotter, but not a detailed ‘colour-coded spreadsheet’ one – I know the general plot and direction of travel, but I’ll let sub-plots and characters take shape as I go. So a flexible plotter.
What was your first ‘I can’t believe this is happening’ moment as an author?
November 2021, when my first book won Debut Of The Year at the Romantic Novelist Awards. I only decided to go to the ceremony a few days beforehand, and didn’t take a plus one. It never occurred to me to write an acceptance speech, but luckily my job means I’m no stranger to winging it on a public stage, so it was fine. And also amazing – I travelled home that night feeling incredibly proud of myself.
What one thing is the most surprising thing about being an author?
How incredibly hard it is to make your mark, and how undervalued romantic fiction is. It’s treated as a ‘lesser’ genre, primarily because it’s largely written and read by women. And yet, from a commercial perspective, it props up the industry so they can put huge marketing budgets behind celebrity authors who often don’t write their own books. It annoys me daily.
If you could change anything about your path to publication, what would it be?
I’d have embraced TikTok right from the start. It’s never been my thing, and now it feels overwhelming to navigate and I don’t have the time to do it properly. The regret is real.
What would be your dream achievement as a writer?
Building enough success that being a novelist can be my full-time job. Right now I’m happy to juggle both, but it would be lovely to have the choice one day!
Thanks, Heidi! You can follow Heidi on Instagram here.
Are you an author who’d like to share your own publication journey in this newsletter? Get in touch!
Things I’ve done recently
Exciting (and a bit scary) news: I’ve been confirmed as a speaker at the 2025 Meet Cute Book Fest!
The day-long festival, which is dedicated to all-things romantic fiction, takes place on Saturday 28 June in Elstree. Earlybird tickets (which include a bunch of freebies on the day) are available until the end of October.
Things I’ve enjoyed recently
Soon-to-be-published author Emily Buchanan said on Threads recently: “I can’t wait to get 3 star reviews.” I couldn’t agree more, and this post by
brilliantly captures why everything changes when you ‘invite readers in’:
📚 I’ve just finished reading The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley*. I absolutely loved the ambition – and wit – of this book, which had way more cli-fi and rom-com elements than I was expecting. Louder for people the publishing industry at the back: we need more genre-bending commercial fiction!!! This was marketed as contemporary literary fiction (I think). But it felt way more commercial than that, which is by no means a bad thing. The world desperately needs more commercial fiction that tackles topics like climate change in accessible and entertaining ways so it’s read by the masses.
🎧 The latest single, Boy’s Life, from Philly punk-rockers Wax Jaw is an absolute belter. Plus their track Attitude is one of my favourite tracks of the year. Listen to them here.
🎬 Need an easy, cosy watch to keep you company as the nights draw in? This Time Next Year, adapted from the book of the same name by Sophie Cousens*, is lovely.
I never intend to paywall this newsletter, but if you enjoy reading it, please forward it to someone else who might, too! You’re also welcome to buy me a virtual coffee / box of Coco Pops if you’re able to.
Thanks for the mention, Hayley. I'm so glad my post was helpful.
What an incredible video by your lovely enabler Serafima! My lockdown period was so similar to yours and the only way I can make sense of all the mess, muddle and chaos is to write too. Thanks also so much for the interview with Heidi, I haven’t read her work yet but she’s on my list!