Small Town Mysteries. Big Time Suspense.
This quote from Sylvia Plath perfectly sums up August for me. I try to pack in a few more summer activities, but time is running out. I’m not ready to start the school year, yet much of the freshness of summer fun has worn thin. August truly is an “odd uneven time.”
Since August is the last full month of summer, I will post prompts that can be associated with the season during the month.
How would you use this scene? For a mystery? An adventure? Science fiction? Family drama? Because my mind seems to have a criminal bent, I would use the discovery of the plane for a mystery. Perhaps the three divers uncover a treasure that bad guys are after. Or maybe they find an object they don’t realize has value. The bad guys pursue them and they don’t know why.
I could do a dual mystery — one set in the present, and one set in the past, when the plane went down. Jamie Jo Wright specializes in this kind of mystery.
Let me know how you would use this scene!
Although this is one of my favorite months, as my family and I try to cram in some last few moments of summer fun, August as writing inspiration doesn’t provide me with. many ideas.
Where I live, no major holidays or events occur in August. School will start for my kids — not that we’re talking about it or even thinking about it — but I think school should start in September, so that’s when I’ll write about it as inspiration.
August, more than December, feels like the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. It’s the last, full month of summer. Summer vacations and pursuit end as school and all its associated activities gear up.
The month can be a symbol for a character coming to the end of some major life event — a relationship, a job, some kind of goal that’s he has met or failed to meet. The character can be looking forward to or dreading this change in his life . The golden evenings in August are the perfect setting to end a story on a bittersweet note. It also works as a setting for character who is reflecting on past events.
Is August more exciting where you live? How would you use August as writing inspiration?
JPC Allen Writes