Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Why Do We (I) Write in the Fall?

I don't think you notice it, truly notice it, until you no longer have school jumpstarting your industrious period during the autumn. But there does seem to be a correlation in my observation between the changing of the season and a rise in "feeling like writing."

I got on Facebook today to see two totally unconnected friends talking about being in a "writing" mood. It reminded me that I'd been telling my husband over the weekend how I always write more in the fall. And of course, November is National Novel Writing Month (although they now have 'camps' during other months of the year).

Why is this? Is it something in the air, the pumpkin lattes, or the general feeling of "let's get something done" as the students and teachers around us head back to work?

So what makes autumn so popular for writing? A quick search of several connected terms brought no hits on Google for any explanations - or even anyone else writing about it. So am I imagining it? Am I and my two Facebook friends a minority - or just a fifth of the writing population? Do you feel inspired more at a certain time of year or is it the same all year 'round?

I'm very curious to know if I'm alone in this, or if there really is some sort of scientific reason for why my creative writing itch gets going in September and runs on high until Thanksgiving.

Further thoughts here.

No comments: