RTW: Cooler Days are Coming

Welcome to the 150th Road Trip Wednesday!

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: How does your writing (place, time, inspiration) change with the seasons?

As far as creative writing goes, winter and fall are the most productive times of the year where my stories are concerned. I'm afraid they get a bit neglected when the weather is hot and humid.

For some reason, when it's hot outside I don't want to write. It's strange, I know, but it's the truth. My creativity is near zero during the hotter months. But when the first crisper days of fall roll around, I start to get the writing itch. Ideas come flooding into my head and my fingers just want to type. 

I just love this image. It's so beautiful. 

I can feel the change coming on, too. This week the mornings and evenings have been in the 60's and I've seen the leaves turning orange, yellow, and brown. I'm waiting, quite impatiently, for the day when wearing a thick jacket outside is socially acceptable and not just something I do because I'm too lazy to take it off after exiting the freezing buildings. 

Perhaps it has something to do with the energy I'm saving not sweating to death. That's my theory. And along with the colder weather comes fun things like bonfires and hot chocolate. Some of my fondest memories from growing up have been during this time of year. There are holidays and gatherings of friends and family. 

Everyone gains a new energy once the temperatures begin to dip. It's wonderful. 

Writing while under the influence of cooler temperatures and hot chocolate comes easily. Throw in a crackling fire and you've got one happy writer girl. 

Until next time...

RTW: A Thousand Words

Welcome to our 125th Road Trip Wednesday!

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.


We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link in the comments - or, since this week's topic is a short one, you can include your answer in the comments.


It's been a while since we had an inspirational photos post, and we always love those. So...

This Week's Topic:

What images inspire/ represent your WIP or favorite book?

Out of habit, I am always accruing images of inspirational things, places, people, sights, etc. Just yesterday I was trolling the Internets looking at pretty things on Nat Geo's site. Lovely images. 

This is my favorite. 

It makes me feel a sense of wonder at nature and wildlife. It's a feeling that I try to convey in one of my WIPs. It's a profound sense of the connection between nature and man, or the lack of connection thereof. There's a certain mysticism about the natural world that cannot be penetrated or fully understood by man, but we try all the same. It's that search for belonging in the natural order of things that I find so fascinating. This stag and his posture of utter serenity speak volumes to me and I just want to capture it so I can recall that feeling again and again. 

It's almost selfish in a way. Yet, I can't help wanting to hoard the feelings inside of me. 

I am haunted by this image in much the same way as the previous one; however, this picture evokes more of an otherworldly quality. I want to dive into those leaves and relive past lives. I want to wander in those trees and hear the ghosts of our pasts. In that forest, there is no time. It doesn't exist. This timelessness is what I want to convey in my WIP about nature. Seasons may change, but images like this stay with you forever. 

I hope y'all are having a lovely Spring. I know I, for one, am looking forward to Summer. I've been planning out my class schedule for Fall and I'm already tired. But I'm on the home stretch! Only two more semesters of classes, an Honors Thesis, and one semester of student teaching, and then I'm done!!! *excited dance*

Until next time...