There’s something about the ‘ber’ months that scream the season to read. Sure, there’s a whole lot of hype about summer reads, but you really can’t beat the image of a roaring fire, golden amber sunset, crisp air, and cozy blankets coupled with a brand-new book.
For readers and writers alike, it is their season. Nothing quite compares to writing in fall. Or in my case fake fall.
The weather in Florida is beautiful practically year-round, aside from the odd pesky hurricane of course. Sounds great right? Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for the climate here, especially from January through to June. But boy do I miss my autumns. None more so than when I’m writing.
But what is it about the seasonal shift that writers love so much, and that gets the inspirational juices in fast flow mode more so than at any other time of the year?
Basing a timeline around fall makes scene setting easy. Autumn is a treasure trove for descriptive writing. The vibrant hues of falling leaves, the smoky scent in the air, and the crunch of boots on frosty grass are just a few of the seasonal details that when infused into a prose transports the reader between the pages.
Writing about the seasons is an excellent way to connect with the passage of time and become anchored in a sense of place, essential abilities for any writer. It also serves as a valuable exercise in observation and cultivating sensitivity to change.
But you don’t have to necessarily base your story and setting around the season. Writing in fall just becomes easier regardless of the where’s and when’s of your tale.
Much like nature transforms during autumn, many writers experience a change in energy as the season shifts from summer to fall. While summer often provides an opportunity for relaxation and rejuvenation, autumn tends to ignite fresh motivation and sharpen focus.
Transitioning through childhood, most of us were conditioned to associate fall with learning, growing, and new starts. Fall signifies an ending and beginning. We are entering into the final stages of the calendar year. For those of us with kids a new school year has begun, and new routines are settled into.
We are into a new football season. Retail stores bombard us with fall décor. Restaurants and coffee shops cash in offering seasonal flavors, which are all bloody well delicious by the way. Harvest festivals and Octoberfest are suddenly a thing, and you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting some Halloween related promotion… metaphorically of course.
Candles sales are through the roof and what we can’t get naturally we recreate with plug in diffusers, room sprays, and hand washes, all pungent with those much sought after fall scents. Fall creeps into our homes, and our workspaces, and for most of us we welcome it with new knits and open arms…even if that does mean cranking the AC unit up a notch or two.
The world slows down. There’s a decrease in daylight hours and activities are less likely to take place outside. One of the biggest impacts though is the multisensory appeal of fall.
There’s no denying the olfactory effect on writing. Scent is one of the most direct triggers of memory and emotion. We know that using smell in writing is a powerful way to conjure up your readers’ senses and pull them deeper into your story. But it can also serve to inspire and ignite your story telling skills.
Back in the UK I typically was not an outdoor enthusiast, except for on rare dry autumn days. When such days did occur my favorite place to be was Delamere Forest. Taking a walk through a park or forest and allowing the sights, sounds, and sensations of autumn to infuse within you is invigorating, and one of the best ways to get your synapses fusing.
For Floridians fall is the perfect time to brave the outdoors. Sadly, we don’t get the crisp air, the comfort of chunky knits, and the fall scents of nature, but we do get to take a stroll without melting into a Wicked Witch of the West style puddle when we step more than three feet from out air-conditioned abodes. I’m counting that as a win.
For any writer, walks are a great way to reset your mind. To escape your unending and often mundane to do list and to organize your thoughts. Being alone with just your thoughts is one of the most important things a writer can do. And I’m not the only one who thinks it.
As F Scott Fitzgerald said, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall”
Fall may be the shortest of the seasons but for readers and writers it becomes a flurry of activity.
Each month is associated with a particular literary-themed activity: October is National Book Month and November is National Novel Writing Month (check out nanowrimo.org for more information).
Whether you’re an avid reader, new to the writing game, or a seasoned author, now is your time to shine. So, grab that seasonal latte and baked good and enjoy your moment.