My crisis of writing and publishing stems from writing the darkest and most horrific parts of my life, without having processed them, publishing in soon-defunct literary magazines with little to no audience, and getting eight likes on social media as payment. Is this what I should turn myself inside out for?

Anyway, I guess we’re all going to die. We’re not, but I wouldn’t blame you for feeling that way. You’re stuck inside while people are literally dying and the government’s response has been objectively terrible. The only thing we can do is bake bread and watch TV.

E spoke with four women about their experiences of the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy.