Three Autumn Exercises For Writers

Autumn  Glory

Saturday is the first day of fall, or autumn, in the northern hemisphere. Summer temps may still be with us but it won't be long until all the parts of fall that so many adore will be evident. A great number of people would name fall as their favorite season. Or they might say 'autumn' instead. 

I am posting three exercises today. Choose any one or try all of them. They're not difficult and won't take a lot of time but they will get you in the mood for what is nearly here and might inspire a story or poem with a fall theme.

Exercise #1

For writers, this upcoming season offers a lot in sensory details. For an exercise, write a phrase or two to answer each of the following questions using something that is reminiscent of the fall season. 

1. What sights can you see?
2. What smells remind you of fall?
3. What do you hear during this third season of the year?
4. Are your taste buds ready for fall foods? Which ones?
5. What can you touch in fall that you cannot during summer?

Exercise #2

I have read several quotes from famous people about the fall season. I'll post a few below. 

"And all at once, summer collapsed into fall."  Oscar Wilde

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall."  F. Scott Fitzgerald

"Autumn, the year's loveliest smile." William Cullen Bryant

Now, get creative and come up with a quote of your own about fall. 

Exercise #3

Make a list of words that remind you of the season, ones you could incorporate into your writing.

A Sensory Detail Exercise

Yesterday, I wrote a post on sensory details and zeroed in on smell. Today, I have an exercise for you to try that deals with the sense of touch.


Look at the list below. Make a sub-list for each of things that have that feeling. Don't just sit at the computer and put the words down. Get up and walk around your office, your kitchen, bedroom, then go outside and do the same.  Reach out and touch different objects to see how they feel.

1. smooth

2. soft

3. rough

4.sharp

5. cold

6. hot

7. abrasive

8. slimy

9. wet

10. stiff

11. limp

You can also do this exercise in reverse. Make a list of household objects, or things in your backyard. Then write a word or phrase that shows the way they feel when touched.

When writing a story, use sense of touch occasionally. Doing it too often can turn a reader off. I had a friend who was a very good writer, but she overused the simile  technique in her first novel to the point that they became a distraction for me as I read what was an excellent story.

Look at one of your favorite pieces you've written. Go through it line by line and mark the sensory details. Lots? Few? Or none?