Two notebooks: one with a white cartoon cat with a pink sweater, pink glasses, and a blue bow on its head; the other with Dory, the Blue Tang fish, and Hank, the orange octopus from Finding Dory.

Back to School

by

Bouquets of Sharpened Pencils

It’s that time of year when people, young and old, return to school. Maybe you’re not a teacher or involved in academia. Maybe you don’t have kids or they’re grown and well past this stage of life. Regardless, this back to school time creates a very specific atmosphere, one that I personally love. To me, back to school season is even more of a restart than when we enter a new year. Full disclosure: I have always loved school, I’m still taking classes, and I do work in academia.

Maybe it’s because I love office supplies or because the beginning of the school year happens to coincide with my favorite season. Whatever the case, I feel a little thrill when school resumes in the fall, and maybe you do, too.

Autumnal orange tree and white clouds with text: "Don't you just love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."
A favorite quote from my favorite rom-com 🙂

Seize the School Spirit

So how can you siphon off a little of this academic mojo and put it in service of your own writing/creativity? I’m go glad you asked! Here are a few ideas:

Take advantage of back to school sales

Soon all of those back-to-school supplies will be less in demand, and therefore, much cheaper. Time to stock up on pens, paper, organizers, binders, and anything else you can think of to ready your office for organization and creativity. Though I do most of my writing on my computer, I also always carry around a notebook for ideas or on-the spot writing, and I’m fond of cutesy designs that are often intended for kids and teens.

Create new writing goals

Like I said above, I like to think of the beginning of school as a great reset time. Why only make resolutions in the winter? Take a few minutes to create a list of goals (or update the ones you made back in January) & see what you can accomplish, either by the end of the year, or between now and next fall.

Check out Classes

You’re never too old for school! Do you live near a community college or university? See if they offer any creative writing courses that you might want to take. There are also a number of online options these days, so don’t let geography limit you! If school isn’t up your alley or in your budget, consider starting a writing group. Bug your friends or check social media to see if you can either join an existing group or put out a call for other writers to join you in a new one.

Stay tuned for a future post on my love of fall in general and how it inspires my writing.

How do you feel about back to school season? Drop us a comment on Twitter, Instagram, and/or Facebook. We’d love to hear your perspective!