Wednesday, August 11, 2010

My Fairweather Ways

I've lived in four countries (Canada, US, Poland, UK) but when it comes to weather-obsession, the UK beats them all hands-down. The weather is a constant topic of conversation, with one day as humid as the Gulf of Mexico and the next freakin' frigid. Over here, there's no such thing as a 'summer wardrobe' -- you need to keep your wool jumpers on hand all year round.

Over the past few years, I've noticed the weather has a direct impact on my writing patterns.

Sun. I wake up early (like, 5:30 am in the summer), raring to go. I love watching the early morning sun as the streets come to life. Mornings are productive with lots of words on the page but by lunch I'm chafing to get outside. Living in London you quickly learn to take advantage of the sun while it lasts. Not to mention the afternoon sun pouring into my office makes it downright sauna-like.

Cloud. The most common, especially in winter. I've never known a grey like a London sky in winter -- my husband describes it as 'rat grey' (apparently they have a word for this in Arabic). I work slowly and steadily and while I may not achieve as much as my sunny streaks I usually reflect more on my plot and characters.

Rain. I spend the morning feeling smug and cozy in my flat, watching others struggle on the street outside (nice, I know). I work in spurts between downpours, then get the irresistible urge to curl up on my comfy bed with a book --- usually ending in a nap.

Snow. Rare, very rare, in London. Chances are if it's snowing, I'm not working. I'm too busy checking Twitter to see what part of London has imploded under 2 cm of snow or listening to how the end of the world is nigh since we don't have enough grit.

How does the weather affect your work?

52 comments:

  1. I definitely feel more inspired when the sun is shining. However, that means summer and a constant battle between golf and writing.

    However, winters here are darn cold and that means staying indoors. This is probably when I get the most writing done (although not the inspired kind, the more hard-work kind).

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  2. Come to Ireland we far out do the Brits with weather obession. We have 500 ways to describe rain here.

    Don't even get me started on Wisconsin weather. The only good thing I can about it...I can't think of one single only good thing. LOL

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  3. I realize when the nice weather comes in Spring how crabby I was at the end of the winter. Too much bad weather gets me down and I prefer not to write then. One of the good things about not being published, I can still choose when to do it.

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  4. Well, here in the Lake District we have our own kind of rain - wrong rain, right rain, too much, too little. Occasionally the sun arrives to give us a reminder of how it could be. My most productive times are Spring & Autumn - and I have no idea why that is :)

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  5. Interesting post! I've never thought about how the weather affects my writing.

    But that could just be because we can get any and all kinds of weather in the space of one short day here in my little corner of Wales. One of the things I love about living here!

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  6. I agree with Ann there. Great post, we were on a beach recently and it was raining one end and sunny the other.
    However, I think the gloomy weather inspires me to write, maybe it's an Irish thing, the sun is lovely but a bit too happy somehow.

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  7. I love the rain! When it's raining outside, I want to be snug in comfy clothes and writing. And baking chocolate chip cookies :)

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  8. So true, and especially how weather affects my writing. I write better on a crisp, cold day when no one expects me to step outside and 'enjoy the mild/sunny/good weather' I can see it from my desk!!!

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  9. I actually do my best writing (I think) when the weather is crappy outside! Rain, snow, frigid temperatures, I'm inside churning out the words like a WWII tailgunner. :)

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  10. In the winter I find it easier to concentrate on the bigger projects like the novel. In summer I am very much an outdoors person, so I tend to write in fits and starts, which is better for short stories, poetry or flash fiction.

    I love the variety of weather we get here, and I think I'd really miss it if I lived somewhere with a more constant climate.

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  11. Jaydee - Sask in the winter. Yes, I know - I couldn't believe people plug their cars in!

    Ann and Brigid - OK, I might give Ireland the title over the UK.

    Agnes - Yup! For two years - in Bielsko-Biala and Wroclaw. Loved it!

    Thanks for chiming in, everyone!

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  12. We don't get a lot of snow here in central Texas either. When it snows, I don't get on Twitter, though. I run outside with my camera and take pictures then run out into the blizzard and try to catch a snowflake. Okay, it's not a blizzard since I stand in the yard and watch for a snowflake then chase it down.

    Helen

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  13. Dear Talli, you just made me decide to move to London with this thorough description of the weather there. Liked that you watch the poor fellows struggling on the streets when it's raining and you're warmly cuddled on your couch. They must be so jealous haha...Lovely piece x

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  14. wow you lived in Poland?! (I'm from Poland haha and I know how mature enthusing about it is haha). The only downside to living in London is, imho, the lack of snow - winter without snow is the least inspiring thing. I think that when it's too sunny and too hot outside - that's the most uninspiring weather, though :)

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  15. I'm productive in winter and summer. Spring and fall weather in San Antonio is awesome, unless it's raining, so that's when I really crave to be outside.

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  16. I'm most productive when the sun is shining. Sun and warmth makes me happy, energetic, and motivated. When it rains, I just want to curl up on the couch and read. When it snows, I can't stop staring out the window because all that whiteness looks so magical softly falling from the gray sky.

    So it's a good thing I live where it's sunny more often than rainy or snowy or I'd get nothing done!

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  17. If it is sunny out, I'd much rather be outside in it, tanning, swimming, or playing with my kids.

    if it snows, well I find a good book and hot chocolate to curl up with, anything else, well that's mostly what it does here in Wyoming, I work best at night, after the day has erupted.

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  18. and I thought it was just Americans who were obsessed :-) Actually, Americans live to complain about the weather...personally, none of it bothers me because I figure what can I do about it? :-)

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  19. I can't answer your question.

    I'm too busy laughing at what you wrote!

    :0D

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  20. Oooh, yes, I think the weather definitely has an impact on me too. Too much heat/sun makes me restless and ansty and I can't sit still for long, so I don't get much writing done.

    Love your last line about the snow and grit, so true! :-)

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  21. Awww you are so in tune with the weather - and it's great to know that you respond to it in many ways - all productive!! Good for you!!

    Me, I think I'm a lost cause!

    The sun makes me sleepy, rain makes me drowsy, clouds make me snoozy and snow makes me go "WTF?!?!?!!"

    Take care
    x

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  22. My writing is directly dependent on my vitamin D levels. The lower the level, the less writing I accomplish. I really love the sun. Fortunately here in Monterrey, during the summer, the sun shines 99% of the time and it's one temperature (hot!) I pack up all my jumpers and don't look at them until January.

    CD

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  23. The weather doesn't affect my work too much; although living in the Midwest where we hibernate in winter, I do get a lot more done inside since it's so frigid outside.

    I'm like you in that I love my mornings! No matter the season, I'm definitely a morning person and do my best work earlier in the day.

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  24. i feel most creative and productive in the winter.But am kind of strange I come to life in the winterx

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  25. You know that's so true. My writing is really affected by the weather too. I notice when it rains, I'm a little more lethargic and I write much slower.

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  26. I love our obsession with the weather, it always give us something to talk about. Although generally we're moaning because it's too hot/cold/windy/humid/dry/wet

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  27. I am definitely more constructive in the summer months and write more then because I'm a lot more upbeat and positive about life. Having said that, here we are in the middle of the summer holidays and I am being ordered about by a seven year old. Consequently, very little gets done during the daylight hours and I am forced to work at night in darkness!

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  28. I don't think my work is affected by the weather at all... except when it snows. I can't possibly concentrate on being creative when there's twitter chat to read and the local news with lists of closed schools to listen to.

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  29. Weather doesn't really affect my writing, especially not recently since I live in Georgia and it is always hot and wet. I do miss Seattle though where occasionally it rains, drizzles, shines with sunlight, and snows all in a single day. I love and miss colder weather, and the variety.

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  30. I write best when it's gloomy. I hate the sun and all it's vivid cockiness.

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  31. I can't do a damn thing when it's gray outside, even if I'm inside under a sun lamp. I need sun. Desperately. Too bad for me I don't live in a desert :)

    PS--What were you doing in Poland? And where were you? We lived in Krakow for 2 years. Loved it!

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  32. I work mainly at night, but when it's raining, I'm usually not writing simply because I like to watch movies in the dark. :]

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  33. The sun has the opposite effect on me, because if it's summer, it's hot and humid beyond belief, and that's draining on a body. As a result, I tend to just slouch in front of my computer or TV.

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  34. Great post Talli.... Think I am in the majority when I say that the sun just calls me outdoors and my writing is therefore erratic in summer - like sunshine in Ireland. Autumn as Earth is slowing down and beginning to sleep is a great time for introspective writing and writing inner stuff.. and probably winter is best time of all for writing.. Although until I started writing seriously last winter I never realised just how you can get in a centrally heated room by not moving anything except your fingers!

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  35. I really need a relatively sunny place; that's why I moved.

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  36. If it was just about the sun, Aussies would be the most prolific in the world. Sun draws me outside. On a magical day it's hard to stay indoors tapping away, so therefore I get more writing done early in the morning before I know what the day's going to be like..:) Our weather obsession here is - beautiful one day, perfect the next, hee hee Londoners! (I've been there in 2 winters, so I'm hearing you!)

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  37. Well, at least you don't have to be concerned about snow right now.

    Too bad about the sauna-like humidity. That can really run you down.

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  38. I love your weather writing patterns--gray days tend to make me feel blue, but I do manage to write a lot just the same. Sunny days with low humidity make me want to play. Right now we're hot and humid at 100 degrees F and no relief in sight. I am sluggish in all my endeavors--I need a nip in the air to get myself rolling forward!

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  39. Hi Talli,
    Like you, I've lived in the US and Canada. Extreme weathers from tropical and humid in Florida to bone-breaking winters in Montreal. I did notice something peculiar though. When the weather is gloomy or snowy, my writing tends to be a bit somber. When it's sunny and beautiful outside, my stories tend to be more cheerful. Hmmm, amazing how Mother Nature plays a role in our mood ;)
    Cheers!

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  40. Weather doesn't really affect me but I really like the way you spend your rainy days!

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  41. Constant rain affects me a lot. And harsh cold. If it's raining or really cold, I never want to go out at night!

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  42. I love to stay in and write when it snows. There's nothing like gazing out the window and watching white flakes float to the ground while you're writing. (Yes, I'm tired of summer.)

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  43. You've lived in Poland? I've always wanted to visit there. My maiden name is Rutowski and my mother's maiden name is Sadowski. My grandfather was born there and came to the U.S. as a boy. Anyway, I digress. I work better when it's sunny. Cloudy/rainy days make me sleepy.

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  44. LOL about the snow, we really are useless when we get a few flakes.

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  45. Ha, your habits are very similar to mine. But I write best in the warm winter sun (in summer it gets too hot)
    W.I.P. It: A Writer's Journey

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  46. Hi Talli .. I too work best in the warmth of the summer days .. the grey gloomy cloudy days are too much - but if I get off my backside and get outside for a walk - even in the wettest of weathers .. I feel better!

    Winter can be depressive - but we've had some fun weather in recent years - snow on the south coast - 6" in an hour and half .. a train I travelled in from London went through floods to reach its destination: Eastbourne - I was glad!!!

    It is and we are conversational about our localised weather .. just hope the south coast stays clear for Airbourne with the Red Arrows for each of the 4 days ..

    Enjoy - whatever comes your way today .. Hilary

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  47. I don't like it when it's too hot and the humidity is high. It makes me feel tired. I like spring and autumn!

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  48. I don't get anything done when it snows, as I'm outside taking photos!

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  49. yeah, pretty much like that!But we have tons of snow here--ughh!

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  50. The weather definitely affects my moods. I get depressed without sun in my life.

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  51. I love the sun. I'm always in a better mood if it's sunny. I think I need to move south...

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