Is your creativity feeling trapped? These long months of lockdown have left many of us struggling to write anything more challenging than a shopping list.

It’s not merely the physical restrictions of having to stay indoors, or events and clubs (including Island Writers meetings) being cancelled. The financial and practical issues of changes in business, job losses and working from home have affected almost everyone. Social distancing, wearing masks and being unable to invite friends and family to visit have left some people emotionally detached, trapped inside a mental bubble and often unable to express what’s wrong.

So, maybe it’s time to start planning our escape!

I had expected that we’d be allowed back to Ryde Library soon, but sadly it doesn’t look like that will be happening yet. Until that time, we’ll be returning to monthly Zoom meetings to keep in touch, and if the weather holds, we’ll try some mini-meetings in our garden – contact me if you’re interested.

No doubt you are all longing for our next assignment – oh, yes, you are! – so our subject is to write about someone or something which is trapped and wants to escape.

Your main character could be a person or an animal, of course, but there are other possibilities – even a Triffid-style plant.

Perhaps your trapped creature is a ghost or spirit, or you might prefer to write about a more abstract thing such as a snowflake escaping from a cloud, or water trapped behind a dam.

Whether your writing is a sorrowful, reflective piece about the trapped creature’s feelings or an action-packed escape from danger is up to you. Or maybe your character is only trapped temporarily and it’s a humorous situation, causing embarrassment rather than mortal peril.

Your assignment can be a story, memoir, poem or play-script, or you may like to experiment with another format such as a sequence of letters or diary entries – whatever you feel is appropriate to the subject matter.

Come and share your assignment at the next Island Writers Zoom meeting on Tuesday 15th September, 7.30pm – watch your email inbox or Facebook Messenger for an invitation.