According to John Maher, a writer for Publishers Weekly, with COVID-19 in an uproar, the writing community has taken a huge hit. This comes as no surprise because since about March 2020, there have been thousands of Americans furloughed or unable to work due to the pandemic. Even with resources like unemployment and other government funding, many are finding it hard to cope.
What does that mean for the hundreds and thousands of writers around the globe dependent on their pieces and projects to help put food on the table? Well, it’s rather simple. Just like every other community, our writing community has stepped up and come up with a plethora of options to help writers in distress.
A few associations that are providing resources for writers looking for outreach options and ways to showcase their work are the American Booksellers Association https://www.bookweb.org, Independent Book Publisher Association https://www.ibpa-online.org/ and PEN America https://pen.org. These organizations are giving writers access to more remote options to help aid in getting the job done. Even though a lot of conferences and public events have been canceled or postponed, there are still avenues for success during such a time of chaos.
I urge you all not to be discouraged by recent events. In this month alone COVID-19 hotspots around the U.S. are now offering curbside pick-up for booksellers, the International Book Fair in Beijing has gone completely virtual and, in the U.K., Rossiter books have implemented safety precautions at their locations. These safety precautions can include temperature checks, mandatory mask upon entry, and portable sanitizing stations, as seen in common heavy traffic stores around the U.S.
For more information regarding reopening’s and virtual alternatives visit the following link https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/trade-shows-events/article/82672-covid-19-ongoing-list-of-cancellations.html.
Written By Jasmine Hedgpeth