Thursday, 23rd April 2020
Tonight is World Book Night. And to coincide with this event, it was revealed that many more people are turning to books to see them through the lockdown.
Interestingly, the radio news bulletin that I heard this on, suggested that it was stories of pandemics and global disasters that were doing the best, getting more sales and more people reading them. I was, on first hearing this, surprised that people would turn to fictionalised events of the reality we find ourselves in as a source of comfort. But, as I reflected further on this, it made perfect sense to me.
It is in fiction that people find themselves reflected back at them. Characters do things that we can only dream of; they are the people we want to be. In stories, there is always an ending and in these uncertain times it can feel like we don’t have an ending.
I wonder if the tales people are reading have happy endings or apocalyptic endings. I wonder, also, if it matters: is it just an ending that people want to read.
In other news, a script I wrote for the BBC, which had made it to the longlist, sadly didn’t make it to the shortlist! Never mind, back to writing!
