Write About Seasons and Timely Events

 

This blog post is more about things to write about than it is encouragement for writers. Perhaps in addition to some encouragement, the writers out there could use ideas for things to write about, as well as a little inspiration on where to find ideas.

 

I love the fall season. The cooler weather, the colored leaves, pumpkin everything, fall-scented candles and the promise of a fun day to dress up and eat candy. It is my first favorite season (winter is my second) and so, of course, I am often inspired to write poems, short stories, articles and essays just from indulging in favorite fall activities.

 

The new season can give you ideas for things to write, too. Even if you are not much of an “autumn person,” take the time to observe the changing season. Notice how nature changes and adapts to the change in weather. Watch people participating in Fall Festival activities and try some out yourself. Go for a walk and observe the changed landscape all around you. (I got an idea for a poem just from looking at a pine cone!) Take all of it in and see what kind of ideas for things to write this inspires in you.

 

Aside from seasonal writing, you can also write about current events. Today is the last day of Banned Books Week. I could remember very well my own experiences in reading banned books. Articles and essays about banned books have been everywhere. People have also posted pictures and memes about banned books on social media.

 

What does Banned Books Week mean for you? What sort of thoughts does it inspire? How does Banned Books Week contrast with the current flood of book banning going on in libraries and schools right now?

 

These are all ideas which can inspire you to write.

 

Of course, let’s not forget Halloween! I know that I mentioned it earlier, but Halloween is my favorite holiday. Halloween is a part of the fall season and it’s definitely the one day of the year that inspires writers everywhere. So many writers have written stories, poems and even movies based on their love for Halloween. It definitely can inspire many fiction ideas.

 

Not only does Halloween inspire Halloween-themed stories, but the day itself is a day for horror fanatics. I know some writers of horror who love Halloween and they spend months or all year planning for the big day. My forthcoming book of stories, Bad Girls: Five Tales of Twisted Teens, is YA horror. (Yes! Kids and teenagers alike love to read horror! When my older sister was a teenager, she was obsessed with reading Stephen King novels. I know he writes horror for adults, but there ARE teenagers out there who love to read horror. Thus why we have the YA horror genre. There is even middle grade horror and horror for kids. Goosebumps, anyone?)

 

Of course, with horror accompanying the Halloween season, there are calls for Halloween and horror stories popping up A LOT this time of year, as well as horror novels and horror story collections being published in October (when Bad Girls will come out).

 

If you like horror, why not write it? Especially now, when Halloween is fast approaching and editors want those kinds of stories for their October issues. (Note: This will work for online publications. Print publications plan issues several months in advance.) Take advantage of the season and write horror to your heart’s content.

 

Or write about Halloween.

 

Or the fall season.

 

Or about Banned Books Week.

 

No matter what you choose to write, the changing seasons, holidays and current events are all good material for finding something to write about. Take the time to observe, play around with ideas and see where your inspiration takes you.