Depending on where you live, autumn may be on its way to you. Here in Denver, Colorado, the weather is still warm, but we look forward to the leaves turning and a quiet chill creeping into the air. 

If you want to practice your creative writing skills, here are some autumn-inspired prompts to get you started.
 

1. Poetry

Browse the Poetry Foundation’s collection of fall poems and find one that appeals to you. You might, for example, choose “The Song of the Witches” from Shakespeare’s MacBeth or "For the Chipmunk in my Yard” by Robert Gibb. After you’ve settled on a poem, write your own piece in the style of your example. 
 

2. Fiction

In The Great Gatsby, the confidant socialite Jordan Baker says, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall” (p. 106). What might prompt a different kind of person to say this line? Write a vignette in which Jordan’s words come from the mouth of your own character. 
 

3. Creative Nonfiction

Examine Van Gogh’s Autumn Landscape and freewrite for several minutes about what you observe.

Next, walk outside and write at least two observations for each sense. What do you see, smell, feel, hear, taste?

Do you notice any themes that repeat throughout your observations? Can you begin shaping them into a personal essay, paralleling Van Gogh’s painting with your own experiences?