It was a dark and stormy night…

Being officially in May, both the weather and minds turn toward distinctively spring-like inclinations. Sunny skies, blooming tulips in a bright array of colours, birds chirping in the budding trees, and windows wide open to welcome in their song. As I sit in my living room, this is very much the scene, with a slight chill in the air that I know will get warmer as the sun starts to make its climb through the blue, cloud-spotted sky. These are often the days that I feel charged up; I feel energized, eager to create. Just as the world is developing around me, I feel the yearning to build something up from my imagination as well. This is the sort of weather that makes me crave what I do. And, of course this is the sort of weather that always seems to correspond with the days I’m stuck at work for most of it and don’t have the outlet for such creative yearnings.

Naturally, this was also the year that this area got the most rainfall for April in a long, long time. I hate to blame such things on weather, but I’d be lying if I said the weather didn’t influence my writing as much as my coffee intake does. Storms are great for sleeping for me; not so much for feeling motivated to write or get anything done. I’ll bet for some people, it’s the complete opposite. The darkness and gloom and pitter-patter of rain on the window panes drives their pens across the page. Last month made me wish I was more of one of those people, but I have a feeling (okay, more like a very strong hope and desire) that May will be more my type of month. This would be particularly exciting as this month’s novel is basically a travelogue, so I can go out, feel the sun on my face, and imagine that sun shining down on Solomon as he traverses the world of Aryneth.

What kind of weather writer are you? Do you feel the weather outside influences your work or your ability to work? I know for a fact it does for me, but I’m curious how many of you might be fair weather writers and who might need those dark and stormy nights.

Today, by the way, is slated to be party cloudy and in the fifties. Right now it’s very sunny, though, so maybe that actually means the cloudy weather will correspond with while I’m stuck indoors for work, rather than the other way around!