Like many others, I’ve been largely confined to my home office for the past nine months. In some ways, that’s not as bad as it might sound.

As an only child and natural introvert, I’m a lot less affected by isolation as an extrovert might be. Being here at home just gives me more time to write, and I’ve taken advantage of it. I’ve released eight books and a new edition of another in 2020, making it my most productive year to date.

On the flipside, I haven’t been able to attend any author events or book signings. Four regular appearances — one in the spring and three in the fall — were all canceled. No TV appearances, either. As someone who suffers mild asthma and seasonal bronchial problems anyway, I wasn’t about to enter a TV studio to sell a few books.

I miss having the opportunity to interact with readers (in a limited way, at least: I am an introvert), especially since I’m not on social media apart from this blog and some Facebook pages my wife curates. But with fewer distractions, I have more time to brainstorm, research, and write.

Here are a few ways I’ve learned to cope with the pandemic.

Seize opportunity

Every hour you’re not going out to dinner or a movie or shopping at the mall is an hour you can dedicate to writing. (OK, most people don’t do that anymore anyway, but I’ve got a book on department stores and shopping malls due out in the next year or two, so I’ve got to mention it.) The fewer distractions you have, the more focused you’ll be.

I don’t do video games, and while some may question whether it’s worth it to disengage from Facebook and Twitter, it has been for me. I found myself spending far too much time dealing with trolls and worrying about what other people thought. Once I cut the cord, I could still use various news feeds to keep up on current events, without worrying about the backlash.

Comments aren’t enabled on this site for the same reason. Lo and behold, since I’ve become far less concerned with negative Amazon reviews than I used to be. It’s been great for my mental health.

Find your space

Some writers go out to the library or a coffeeshop to write. If so, the pandemic has probably put a big damper on your normal routine. Fortunately, coffeehouses like Starbucks often have outdoor seating, which, if socially distanced, can be a great option.

Maybe you’re comfortable writing on your laptop from bed or at the kitchen table. That’s never been my style. I prefer to write on a PC whenever I can. It just feels more stable, somehow. If you’re like me, the extra time is a great opportunity to set up your own space.

That’s what I did with our finished basement. I hung pictures, set up a horseshoe-shaped desk, hung some tapestries to define my workspace, hung some strings of white lights, and even set up a Christmas tree. I’ve got a bookshelf and some knick-knacks, and I’ve usually got a candle burning (evergreen spruce is my favorite). It’s the perfect writer’s sanctuary, at least for me.

You can see a bit of my workspace on my website’s new cover photo, and here (I even set up a Christmas tree):

Update your website

Speaking of websites, updating yours is a great way to stay productive on days when you want a break from writing. It’s a different kind of project that requires a different sort of creativity, so you’ll be guarding against burnout and rejuvenating yourself at the same time.

Plus, you won’t feel guilty about doing something that’s “not writing,” because it’ll still be related to your writing career.

Feeling uninspired to write anything this weekend, I decided to do a major revamp on my site, which had looked pretty much the same for the past four years or so. I changed the color scheme; reordered and retitled the pages to make them more easily searchable; changed the font and increased the size to make it more legible. And yes, I’d let some things lapse, so I updated several pieces of content and added info about some of those new books I’d published.

Set goals

Whether you’re a full-time writer or someone who has a “day job” working from home during the pandemic, it can be hard to stay home all the time. Hours can bleed together, and one week can blur into the next until you lose track of the calendar — especially with no outside events on your schedule.

Setting goals, whether they be word counts, timed sprints, or deadlines, or can allow you to define your days and celebrate concrete achievements. Allow yourself the grace to move a deadline if you need to, but don’t make a habit of doing it: That can lead to discouragement and a pattern of procrastination you may find it hard to shake.

Goals are your friends because they frame your days and keep them from becoming a continuous, amorphous slog. But it’s not just that. When you achieve your goals, it gives you an emotional boost that can propel you into your next big project (after a short break to celebrate with a glass of wine or movie-binge weekend).

Change things up

Sometimes, you don’t have this luxury, but if you do, it’s a great way of keeping your juices flowing.

Don’t make your writing goals so rigid that you don’t leave time for anything else. For one thing, there are different kinds of writing. Here are some ways to stay writing — and productive — while keeping your projects varied enough to stave off fatigue and “writer’s block” (at least one source of it).

Work on your newsletter if you have one. (Confession: I don’t. I found that emailed newsletters were often unwelcome — even if they’d been requested — and seldom effective in producing sales. But others have had better experiences.)

Write a blog.

Try a different genre. If you’re a novelist, work on some nonfiction, or vice versa. Try poetry.

Other ways to stay busy

• Update your Amazon, Goodreads, or other author page.

• Update your Amazon categories for better targeting.

• Research and set up ads on Amazon, Facebook, or elsewhere. Take some time to explore, then conduct some trials before jumping in with both feet. There are plenty of tutorials online about how to do this.

• Network with other authors online.

• Explore audiobooks.

• Go virtual: You might not be able to do readings person, but you can still do them online via YouTube, Zoom, Skype, or on your website.

• Map out a tentative post-pandemic calendar with events you’re reasonably sure will be a “go” when restrictions are lifted.

• Read other authors’ blogs for ideas.

• Browse cover artists’ collections online for inspiration.

• If sales are down, explore various relief options that may be available to you.

• Strategize on how to target your audience effectively.

• Write and send press releases.