10 Autumnal writing prompts / author inspiration
Autumn is a beautiful time of year to begin something new, or work on something special. Perhaps you are in need of a little inspiration and guidance with your writing. You are in the right place! This post is going to give you fifteen autumnal themed writing prompts.
Writing prompts can be used in many ways, journaling, starting a new book, chapter, or short story, writing a poem. You could also use these prompts for other creative art-forms as well, such as painting, drawing, or even songwriting.
Writing in autumn can be a wonderful, calming time. Full of extra free time after summer’s busyness has died down. It can be a time of breaking through in some of your writing projects, as well as getting new inspiration and ideas from the changing season. I hope these prompts encourage you to create something truly beautiful this season.
I have been really enjoying autumnal writing this year. The change in weather, nature, and even myself, all inspire me with new ideas for current books, and future ones. One of the things I’ve also been enjoying about this time of year is the fact that it is now cozy enough to drink more tea, and indulge in those warming seasonal foods and drinks. Nothing like a comforting writing snack or drink to spur me on.
I find that the change in seasons always gets me thinking about future projects, and book ideas that have been waiting for years to surface into actual writing. One of my ideas has been inspired, I believe, by autumn. For some reason, I find myself contemplating mountains, forests, and rocky crags for this book as I watch the season change around me. Something about autumn always reminds me of Canada like mountains. It has been truly inspirational for piecing together my ideas for the setting of this future book.
Now, let us embark on our writing prompts this autumn, and write something new, beautiful, and perhaps a little bit shocking.
1: “She stood in a splendor of red, unable to look away from where he lay in front of her in the forest.”
2: “It was simply a cold autumnal day, the bridge wouldn’t freeze, would it? There would be no way back if it did.”
3: “As the leaves fell to reveal the brown boughs, other things threatened to be revealed also.”
4: “Nothing would stop her from reaching the castle by autumn.”
5: ” ‘I am not satisfied to simply obey like leaves in autumn.’ “
6: “Nothing scared me so much as the colour of autumn that year. Not after all I’d seen.”
7: “The queen had said my time was up at autumn, and the first leaves had just begun to fall.”
8: “Harsh autumn winds brought me to the realisation that he would not be returning.”
9: ” ‘I may be beautiful, but I am not an autumn tree, I can’t ever fade like the rest.’ “
10: “It was autumn’s eve, and something about her smile made me worry.”
Enjoy playing around with these prompts and making them your own. You could switch the point of view in any of them to suit what you want to write. These could sit as first lines to books, chapters, or poems. See how far your imagination can take you.
One thing I enjoy doing when trying to decide where to go with a scene, is to write down ten different things that could happen. This forces me to open my mind to wider options, and not just go with what first comes to mind. There are hundreds of ways a scene could go, and hundreds of ways you could use these writing prompts. Take one and write down ten different outlines for a scene. By the eighth or ninth one, you’ll find that it starts to really stretch your imagination. If you want to open the possibilities even further, why not write down not just ten, but twenty or more?
You could also write a couple of different scenes from the same prompt as a writing exercise. Changing up point of view, setting, and characters can be great ways to look at the world in different ways, through different minds.
I might try insert some of these prompts into my future mountain and forest set book. I have a feeling autumn is going to play a very big role in the story. What a beautiful time of year to set our scenes in. A change of season, everything getting colder and harsher, and perhaps more difficult for your characters depending on what world they live in. I know for me, it’s going to force my characters into unsettling situations that they may have to think twice to get out of.
Which prompt is your favourite? Which ones are you going to write from today? Let me know in the comments.
That is the end of my writing prompt talk for today. Perhaps we shall have to do a series of writing prompts with different themes. I am always so inspired by writing prompts and how they spark my imagination. I hope you have been encouraged too, and are sparked to write something today. Some bad words are always better than no words, and so much of writing is just practice that no one has to read.
If this post was interesting to you, or if you enjoy writing content, writing advice, or writing encouragement, check out my other posts on this blog. You can also find me on YouTube at The Windy Wildflower, or the podcast at The Windy Wildflower Podcast. We talk about writing, songwriting, and being a Christian creative in all these places. Join me on the journey of learning to glorify God with our creativity and making dreams a reality.
I’m off to pick some apples to stew and preserve for this winter and spring. It is likely to be a very aesthetic autumnal time, and I’ll hopefully get to think about that future book while doing it. Till next time friends – Nika
