Coffee-break exercise: Autumn

Leaves are falling, the season has turned – and prompted this week's creative writing exercise

For this week's exercise, go outside and be in nature if it's possible - a wood, a park, a field, a bit of wasteground or a garden. What can you see? Have the colours changed? How? What does the air smell like? Is there any bird or animal life? If you can't go outside, look out of the window.

For five minutes, jot down your thoughts about what autumn looks like where you are.

Now imagine it's the setting for a new story, narrative poem or passage of creative non-fiction. Who might come into this setting? Why are they there? What effect might this particular season have on the atmosphere of the piece? How might it relate to any wider themes?

Write for ten minutes.

Sentences are the building blocks of your creative writing - which means it makes sense to write them well! Find out how to write a good sentence – and how it will work wonders for your creative writing!