After what has been a long dry summer in my part of the world, and a seemingly short warm autumn, we have been inundated with a deluge of rain as if Winter wanted us to sit up and take notice of her arrival.
It has certainly made me think about the changing seasons, both physically regarding the weather but also in our own lives. Perhaps the following series of creative writing prompts will have you reflecting on this too.
1. Warm up
Write for 7 minutes and incorporate the following five words into your writing:
- storm
- umbrella
- house
- plant
- novel
2. Images
Select one of the images below as a starting point for a setting or a spark for a memory:
3. Heat and Cold
Do you (or your character or an ancestor) prefer the heat or the cold?
Write about your experience of living with either (or both).
Alternatively, write about a time when you noticed the change of season (whether that be related to the weather or a period in your life).
4. Winter/Summer Solstice
Set a story (or a scene from a current project) on the winter or summer solstice – the shortest or longest day of the year.
5. Natural Phenomenon
Recently, many Australians witnessed the beauty and wonder of the Aurora Australis.
Write about witnessing a natural phenomenon, whether that be the aurora, an eclipse, a comet, a cyclone or simply the magnificent starry sky at night.
6. Arriving and Leaving
I read somewhere that most stories can be described as a stranger coming to town or someone embarking on a journey. It’s an idea that have been attributed to a number of writers, including Leo Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, but according to Quote Investigator, there is little evidence of either making this statement. It most likely emerged from a writing prompt by John Gardener, although there is only third-hand evidence that he made the comment explicitly.
Still, the ideas of a stranger coming to town or someone embarking on a journey does occur in numerous stories. I’d add someone returning to their hometown for any number of reasons (cue any number of Hallmark Christmas movies) as another story starter.
Whether you are writing fiction, memoir or family history, begin a story, chapter or scene with a stranger arriving in town, your protagonist leaving town or them returning home after a period of time away.
7. Poem: in Just-
I have always loved e.e. cumming’s poem “in Just-”.
Read the poem.
Use the phrase “In Just -” to create your own poem, song or other creative work about the beginning of a new season.
8. First Nations Seasons
Research the names and timing of the seasons according to the First Nations people in the area in which you live.
Create a story, poem or piece of artwork that is framed around this way of noticing the distinguishing features of each season.
Over to You
Which creative prompt will you begin with today?
