by Writing Workshops Org Admin
4 years ago
How to Use the Winter Season to Find Writing Inspiration
There are writers who see Winter as bleak, cold, and even lifeless; but there are also writers who see Winter as enchanting and wondrous. Regardless of which type of writer you are – or want to become – there are many ways to draw inspiration from this captivating season.
Winter weather: an added challenge for a protagonist – or a ready-made villain
Winter weather is often quite dynamic. The fury of a storm, the chill of the wind, the depth of the snow, and the plummeting temperatures can add an urgency and a drama to any story. The elements can be the antagonist – or at least an additional challenge that makes the task of the protagonist only more difficult. It can also be a deadly, life-threatening force in and of itself, a ready-made and familiar villain that requires little exposition.
Use the doom and gloom (or the joy and cheer) of Winter to set the tone
The short and cold days, the long frozen nights, and the quiet stillness of Winter offer a wonderfully depressing backdrop that can be used to enhance the dramatic tone of a piece. Then again, the brilliance of light shining upon ice-laden trees, frozen ponds, or off the beauty of newly-fallen snow can set an entirely different mood; one of joy and cheer.
That holiday feeling
There are many holidays that people celebrate (or dread) during Winter. Christmas, of course, is always a good place to start, no matter if you are writing a romance, recalling a joyful or poignant memory, or telling an inspiring tale of joy to the world. There is also a dark side to Christmas, especially for those who are alone, abandoned, or just disappointed by the commercialization of the season. New Year's Eve can be used in much the same way, as almost everyone knows either what it means to be with the right (or wrong) person, or to be alone when the clock strikes midnight.
A new year of hope (or fear)
New Year's resolutions – those we make, should make, or will eventually break – are a good point to start or move to in a story. A new year can inspire a new beginning, or provide an opportunity to recall past failings and possibly worse days yet to come. A new year represents a clean slate, a blank page on which anything can be written.
Family and friends in Winter
Many people spend time with their families and friends in Winter. Some enjoy Winter sports and outdoor activities, any of which can call up a sense of adventure, or offer a backdrop or starting point for a story. Others bundle up and stay cozy and warm inside – and such close quarters can be used to create a sense of intimacy, either for good or bad, depending on which path the writer is inspired to take.
Escaping from Winter
Winter can also be something from which a writer or the characters they are writing about wish to escape. The desire or need to go someplace warm, or surrounded by lush greenery and where life thrives rather than hibernates can drive a story, add a plot line, or just be the starting point from which a writer can draw inspiration.
These are just a few of the many ways that writers, including the professionals at Writing Workshops Dallas can find inspiration in and from Winter.
