Writers are always looking for material to write about, and the pandemic has offered that in abundance. Everyone’s falling over one another to put their musings, views and doomsday prophesies on paper. Did I say ‘on paper’? Let me amend that to ‘online’. COVID 19 has shoved paper into partial obscurity and ensured that digital activity is the new normal.

Writing has traditionally been considered a reclusive pursuit. But the new challenges of marketing forced writers out of their private spaces to interact with audiences at public events. The pandemic effected an ideal environment for creativity to flourish by practically ordering writers to return to their ivory towers, but few obeyed its dictates, preferring instead to consolidate a strong virtual presence.

The ‘experience economy’ has been a significant contributor to national economies over the last two decades. The expression refers to the economy generated when people gather at places for live events like concerts, public functions, sports tournaments and so on. These have been put on hold and will be the last to come back after the pandemic. Online events can never have the joy and energy of actual events.

The inventiveness of man has never been in doubt and people will adapt to changing circumstances. Events may become smaller and more frequent. But the other side is that economies are getting hurt and people won’t have much disposable income. That doesn’t bode well for writers, publishers and book sellers.

But books have overcome greater threats to their existence and as long as there are writers and readers, they will survive.

Khyrunnisa A is the author of Tongue in Cheek

(as told to Saraswathy Nagarajan)