Writing in the witching hour.

I talked last week about how much I love the changing of the season All Hallow’s Eve grows nearer. But there’s another reason why fall brings out the best in me, creatively-speaking. I really do my best work as a writer in exactly the kind of conditions germane to this time of year.

Living on a farm there’s a huge amount of work to do in order to keep things rolling smoothly. Obviously 90% of that work has to be during the day-time, so if I want to write my only real option is to do so in the evening. And once the cooler months arrive and work on the farm slows down, I’ve got more time to do what I love best.

I’m incredibly fortunate to have a two-story antique home right on the banks of the Peace River. So when the sun goes down I light a fire and write until dawn. I really couldn’t ask for a more perfect atmosphere. Peace and quiet, solitude, and the flickering of the fire—a writer’s paradise, really.

So with the ever-shortening days and the instinct to hibernate slowly kicking in, I’m looking forward to a productive writing season!

Lovely, lovely, Labour Day

Ah, the September long weekend—here at last! I often think of this as the last long weekend of the year, really. Sure, there’s Thanksgiving, but given that it’s usually already pretty cold by that point we don’t really get the chance to enjoy it. And of course, you’re inevitably inundated with family visits and cooking like a fiend.

But the September long weekend, that’s just for you—a time to relax and have a few days to yourself to catch up on things around the house or just to take some time to yourself  to do what you love best.

So it’s probably no surprise to most of you that I plan on doing a bit of writing this weekend. Now, I’m not going to be venturing into the madness that is the 3-Day Novel Contest I talked about last week, but I am going to try and make a dent in some new projects.

If you’re using the Labour Day weekend to get ahead on your writing projects but aren’t sure where to start, here are some great tips I found to get you rolling.