Fall Forward by Nevada McPherson
Let’s welcome back monthly columnist Nevada McPherson as she shares with us “Fall Forward!” Enjoy!
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The weather has just turned cooler where I live and with it, I notice the light in the afternoon has a different quality. In the summer heat it’s difficult to imagine these brisk, golden days will ever arrive and when they finally do, I greet them with joy and a renewed sense of purpose. I’m filled with hope and excitement and the feeling that things that might’ve been impossible before are possible now.
What is it about the autumn chill that raises expectations? Beyond the chaos of “back-to-school” and the doldrums of end-of-summer blues, we’ve had a chance to settle into enough of a routine to budget time for mundane have-to-do versus tending our passions: the things that we love to do and that feed our souls. I’m finding that some tasks I’ve set aside in order to get through a particularly hectic couple of weeks now take on greater urgency and significance, and I see what needs to be done and more clearly how to prioritize. I’ve had some glitches with my new graphic novel that are now resolved, had good news about one of my screenplays (PIANO LESSONS won the Feature Screenplay contest in the Tea Dance Gay & Lesbian Film Festival a couple of weeks ago!) and forward momentum on other projects is picking up speed.
In addition to the idea that weather affects mood, and even motivation, perhaps there’s something in the zeitgeist adding to the electricity in the air this year. There is a presidential election, after all, along with people across the country taking to the streets to voice their opinions and to stand up for what they believe is right. Passions are running high everywhere and for us writers and artists, creative outlets are vital to our purpose and well-being; they are our medium for commentary and reflection and when we share our work, can also become vehicles for connection and understanding.
If autumn is traditionally a time of harvest and of preparation for the long winter months, make this a time of harvest for your creative efforts! Complete the undone tasks, use the energy in the atmosphere to consolidate the notes and the disparate ideas for the next big project so that when winter comes you’re ready to settle in and write. Create that outline, tackle that difficult chapter, or make that marketing plan. No matter what the task that you’ve been meaning to get to, now is the time for action, and even small actions count. So shake the trees and rake the leaves—and have a happy Halloween!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nevada McPherson lives with her husband Bill and rescue Chihuahua, Mitzi in Milledgeville, Georgia, where she is a professor of Humanities at Georgia Military College. Nevada received a BA in English/ Creative Writing and an MFA in Screenwriting from Louisiana State University- Baton Rouge. She’s written over a dozen feature-length screenplays, plays, short stories and the graphic novels, Uptowners and Piano Lessons. Queensgate, sequel to Uptowners, is her third graphic novel. For more information, visit www.nevada-mcpherson.com.
