There is something magically wonderful about fall.
Maybe it is the sweet and slightly tart smell of the apples hanging in the orchard across the road from us. It could be the tangy, smoky aroma of fires being stoked to chase off the morning or evening chill. Or the spicy, pungent scent that seems to waft out of nowhere but evokes the thought that fall has most certainly arrived.
Perhaps it is in the glorious display of colors. When else do we get to see such rich reds, deep golds, and opulent oranges as we do in the fall? The hue of autumn is a spectacular display of God’s handiwork.
It could be in the sounds of the season. The cheers from a stadium of hometown fans at Friday night football. The crunch of leaves underfoot. The patter of rain on the roof. The crisp snap of the first bite into a juicy apple fresh from the tree.
And not to be overlooked are the feelings that come with fall. No longer are we frantically trying to cram activity into every waking hour to take advantage of the warm summer months and long hours of daylight. We are ready for a slower pace, to settle in and start nesting for the upcoming winter months. To take deep breaths and relax. To make time to connect with those we’ve not seen during the flurry of summer.
Fall is a warm, familiar blanket wrapping us in a comforting embrace. A respite before the craziness of the holidays sets in. A time to breathe and be.
Now is the perfect time to record all those thoughts and feelings about fall for your writing. I know for me, it was a challenge to be working on a holiday novel in August when the temperatures were hovering around 100 and all I wanted to eat was ice cream and popsicles. It was really difficult to conjure up the scents, smells and feelings of the holiday season.
So my plan is to capture the feelings each season brings in writing as I’m experiencing them and then draw from those details when I need them for my writing.
Give it a try. I challenge you to write everything you experience as you think about fall. What does it smell like, taste like, sound like, feel like?
Happy Autumn and Happy Writing!
