To covid or not covid in a WIP

[Rachel Caldecott]

Are you bringing in covid into your work? Are you slipping it into the background, or making a big deal about it?

There is a very clear line between pre-covid and post, isn't there? You can't really hide from the 'new normal' in any 'contemporary' story.
Gee, covid is such a pain in the proverbial!

 

[Nikky Lee]

Hmm, tricky question. Personally, I read to escape reality, particuarly the Covid reality, so encountering it in a book feels a bit claustrophobic in a sense (i.e. there's no escape, agh!). If the pandemic had major part to play in the story, I would probably not read it in all honesty (at least, not at this point in time). Of course, others may feel differently.

That said, if the story is specifically set in 2020/2021 and not just "modern day" (i.e. whatever year/date the reader picks up the book) then it could be appropriate to include it. But it could also run the risk of dating your story. e.g. if you read the book 10 years from now, and it had all this mention of pandemic, testing, etc going on in the background readers will assume it's set in 2020 even if you want it to feel current.

On the flip side, if you're writing something set slightly in the future i.e. in 2025 say, it could have a passing mention if it was appropriate to the situation or character's backstory.

 

[Robert M Derry]

I avoid it like the plague Seriously, I'd hate to read anything COVID related in genre fiction, unless the plot demanded it. I don't want any reminders of current events in my escapism!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

What Robert said. Either go Full Throttle eg Albert Camus, 'The Plague', or Cormac Mccarthy, 'The Road'. Or leave it.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

I lost the manuscript of my sixth Cornish Detective novel at the beginning of the year, which I was upset about at first, but then I realised that the plot of a gang of assassins wandering the country would be impossible in lockdown. I've given up on further investigations until the mask and quarantine situation resolves itself.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Hmm, you are all expressing my own feelings. I don't want to go full throttle. I'll need to think about it. It's a good story I'm sure of that... it's the old time slipping/virtual reality thing I told you about in a writers group a while ago. (Hungary 1849 v UK 20something) It's the 'something' I have to decide upon now.
It is interesting to read your reactions to my question, though. I've seen some articles in mainstream media, talking about how the pandemic is causing all writers to tackle the covid head on.

 

[Robert M Derry]

I've seen some articles in mainstream media, talking about how the pandemic is causing all writers to tackle the covid head on.

I think if you're planning on churning out a novel in 3-6 months and self-publishing then you've got a chance of picking up on the tail end of the dystopian wave. If you think it'll take longer then you'll probably miss the boat.

I imagine that anyone who already had a dystopian novel published (or about to be) sold well during lockdown as readers seemed to be looking for parallels to the current situation (although I wasn't one of them). However, the problem is that us writers are about 6-18 months behind the publishers who know what's coming up on their slate and what they expect to sell well in the future.

Chasing trends is difficult because by the time our books have got to market the fad has moved on. I think a lot of new writers who've written dystopian/COVID based novels are going to be disappointed when they try to cash in and the publishing industry has already moved on.

Having said that, if your plot would be enhanced by incorporating the pandemic and if you think you could potentially look at the pandemic in a different light with a time-slip novel then it may be worth it. Fundamentally, if you really want to include COVID because you think it'd be interesting include it, but I wouldn't chase the wave if that's what you're thinking.

 

[David Y]

I lost the manuscript of my sixth Cornish Detective novel at the beginning of the year, which I was upset about at first, but then I realised that the plot of a gang of assassins wandering the country would be impossible in lockdown. I've given up on further investigations until the mask and quarantine situation resolves itself.

Even in Barnard Castle?

 

[David Y]

My last novel was set in 2064 where the protagonist was born in 2020 so I mentioned it. I've hinted at it in the epilogue of my current WIP in case there's a sequel, when it could throw up some interesting story lines.

 

[Barbara]

One question you might want to ask yourself and answer is: why? Why do you want to include COVID?

Is it because it's a topic close to your heart and the subject needs exploring?

Is it because you want to make the novel more marketable so you can sell now?

Consider how quick it would date. In a few years, 2020 might be a year people would prefer to forget.

If you want to include COVID for marketing reasons and to make the novel more trendy, then including COVID might come across as a cheap gimmick to cash in on unless you're talking the more serious issues the pandemic threw up.

There're plenty other topics that are topical and commercial.

Or would you include it simply by referencing people wearing masks etc? In which case personally I wouldn't bother. There will be live beyond COVID. Masks would date it.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I wrote a covid-related short story back in July. It was really dark. Really, really dark. I like it a lot, but I expect there will never be a time when it is the right story... Except maybe in the distant future. Sort of like it's fine to write about the black plague now, and it was WAY more devastating.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

As it's possible for animals to catch Covid-19, including big cats and mink, could a dragon become infected?!

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

As it's possible for animals to catch Covid-19, including big cats and mink, could a dragon become infected?!

As predicted by Disney in The Sword in the Stone... Merlin v Min