Ten writing essentials for surviving an Apocalypse

The Number One essential for surviving any kind of hardship—Apocalypse included—is to maintain a sense of humour. This does NOT mean you should make light of the situation, but when your options are to laugh or to cry, I know which I’d prefer! Laughter really is the world’s best medicine, and high morale is what gets you through the tough times.

If you’re facing down the end of the world—or an extended time in isolation—then you’d better have a plan or strategy in place! And what better way to organise yourself than through the use of a planner? Whether it contains a structured daily routine, or a list of things to do when boredom sets in, having a planner handy will keep you from going insane.

For those of us who aren’t experts in Apocalyptic survival techniques, a guidebook is probably a good idea. And do you know what? I’m confident that, if you look really hard, pretty much any novel sitting on your TBR pile will have some kind of tip or trick. So if there was ever a time to plonk yourself on the couch and mow through your shelves, it’s now!

Just like shelter is a basic human need, so is taking some time away from others with whom you might be trapped in close confines. I mean, even extroverts need alone time, right? If finding your own physical space is not 100% possible, and drastic measures are called for, then it may be time to crack back out your childhood pillow-fort-making skills!

Brain food is an obvious essential, right? Not only to power all necessary bodily functions, but to keep your mind sharp and the ideas flowing while you spend what could be weeks shackled to your stories and other writing projects. Snacking is important, but remember that you don’t need to hoard MONTHS of food supplies. Leave some for your fellow humans!

Coffeeeeeeeeee!! In my mind, caffeine makes everything better, so my advice is to keep yourself well caffeinated…but not so much that you’re bouncing off the walls. That would be bad. If coffee, or caffeine in general, is not your thing, then feel free to replace it with any other feel-good remedy you like. Once again, this will help to lift morale!

Look, I don’t know about you, but toilet paper is a hot commodity in my city right now. I’m not hopeful about getting my hands on some anytime soon, but improvisation is essential in any Apocalyptic scenario. Paper in the form of notebooks may be vital in the coming weeks! I have ever-so-many story ideas right now, and if worst comes to worst…well.

The pen is mightier than the sword! Forget knives and multi-tools and ropes and compasses—all you need is a good handful of writing implements to get you through the end of days. Right? Sure we have technology aplenty these days, but it’s always smart to have a backup plan. Perhaps it’s time we all start stockpiling stationery instead…

Eh, who needs light if you have a trusty laptop? They have a light all of their own! I hope all you folks have a good Internet connection, but if you don’t there’s actually plenty you can do on your device without the need for WiFi. Writers can most certainly attest to this, but triple-check you back up all your work. Now is not the time for an Apocalyptic loss!

Last, but most certainly not least, a way to communicate with the outside world should NOT be optional! No man is an island, but even if you don’t feel like speaking with family or friends while on lockdown, you never know when you might need to make a call to stock up on any of the above. Writers, it’s time to band together!