Post #37 – Memoir and Fiction, Writing Alchemy – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
Happy St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a beautiful day in Connecticut, where I’m visiting for the weekend. I see traces of green everywhere. Everyone’s Irish today.
Spring has really sprung down here. Buds are close to bursting. Clothes hanging on the line; the warp and weft of winter clothes absorb the fresh air and sunlight for the first time this year.
There’s even a touch of green in the lawn. Like I said, everyone’s Irish today. Although in this case, I think the weeds are greener than the grass.
Here in New England, we have such dramatic and well defined seasons, and I got to thinking about setting as it applies to writing our memoirs. The description of our setting changes depending on the time of year. Our writing about setting need to be dynamic and reflect the different seasons.
The buds are about to burst. In a few weeks, we’ll have the tender, bright green leaves of spring. Come summer, the leaves are dark green, large and supple. But by about the last week of August, the leaves will begin to look old and tired. Bright green will give way to gray-green.
And then the greatest transformation of all. Come about the third week of September and well into October the leaves will burst into a blaze of yellow, orange and red.
Strong winds, the first breath of winter, and the leaves fall to the ground. The patchwork carpet of colors quickly fades to brown, to be swept away or covered in snow. Ice and snow envelopes our world in frozen silence until spring comes again.
As you write, envision not only the fixtures of your scene but the subtle changes. Set the stage for each season.
