I want to talk about mental health today, because the world outside can be a brutal and unforgiving place. Whether it’s the grind of a thankless job, the drama of friends and/or family, or the constant political, economic, and climatic crises, the litany can seem never-ending. At one time or another, we all face the challenge of finding an oasis of calm, a place to relax, recharge and feel better about ourselves.

Writing, for me, always offers a bulwark against the madness, a warm blanket of sanity. The act of writing (especially novels) is hard, and often fraught with obstacles and pitfalls. But when I write, I’m in control. I build the world, fill it with characters, choose the crisis, and then lay out paths for my intrepid protagonist(s) to tread. As a self-publisher, I also set my own chronology and deadlines; I edit and create all my own design work, and finalize each work for publication. It’s a lot, but I’m in charge. I don’t have to answer to a boss or corporation, my friends and family, or even a publishing house.

There’s nothing more encouraging or enriching than creating something from nothing. You plant the seed, nurture it, and feed it every day, cultivating it into something beautiful, and uniquely you.

We are each very different creatures and what works for me won’t necessarily work for you, and your mental health. But we all need some solace, a light against the dark. If you’re a writer, like me, then I’ll wager words are the flame that fills the void. Words, like sanity, are subtle and delicate, but can also possess the power to be colossal, and life-changing.

“But I’m not always writing,” you say?

Me too. I’m there right now, dealing with the vast machinery of getting my first book to publication – book and ebook layout, ISBNs, LCCN, genres and keywords, then checking everything twice.

So, what do I do when I don’t have actual writing to keep me sane? I play video games, more specifically MMOs. Right now, I have a rotation of Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guild Wars 2, and New World. Video games work for me because I choose the quests or adventures, then journey across a vast world defeating enemies, looting treasures, and recovering artifacts on my way to becoming a hero, and saving the world. Every game is an open opportunity for accomplishment, victory, and reward, a dopamine rush guaranteed to help me feel better about my day.

I feel that video games are akin to the experience of writing: I spend hours living inside an imaginary world, struggling to solve problems, and resolve conflict.

It doesn’t matter what you do to restore your precious reserve of sanity, whether it’s cooking, painting, crochet, playing with your pets, or yelling obscenities at the universe. If it works, then keep at it! In a manic world, self-care is one the most difficult tasks to manage. As writers, it’s easy to be dogmatic about our storytelling, but when we’re not writing, we need maintain that same devotion to our self-care. When I’m having a particularly bad day, I struggle to write with any quality or consistency. It can spiral downward from there.

We are intimate with our protagonists and their troubles, their moods; we need to cultivate that same awareness with ourselves, and find the path our oasis, to care.